RUI: Chiral, Conformational, and Polymorphic Control in Organic Thin Films by Liquid Crystal Imprinting

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Professor David L. Patrick of Western Washington University is supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program in the Division of Chemistry to investigate the use of thermotropic liquid crystal solvents for preparing organic thin films with controlled molecular- and macroscopic-scale order. Liquid crystal solvents will be combined with single crystal graphite substrates to systematically and rationally break configurational symmetry in molecular monolayers. The technique affords control over molecular orientation, chirality, polymorphism, and conformation. Together the family of methods that will be developed will extend the modern toolkit of techniques for organic thin film growth, allowing the preparation of films engineered to possess new dimensions of organization. The ability to exert structural control over the arrangement of molecules in organic thin films impacts a wide range of research areas in different disciplines where there is a need for ordered films on technologically relevant substrates. Research areas that are directly impacted include chiral chromatography, nonlinear optical materials, enantioselective sensors, polarizing films for liquid crystal devices, and catalysts. Undergraduate students will receive training and experience in all aspects of the research.