Magnetic liquid crystalline hybrid materials: Synthesis of anisotropic, magnetic hybrid materials by organised integration of nanoparticles in liquid crystalline matrices

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By stabilizing magnetic nanoparticles in complex, liquid crystalline matrices, we aim at the preparation of hybrid materials with interesting magneto-optical properties. The integration of nanoparticulate magnetic particles leads to complex interactions between the particles and the liquid crystal molecules and to anisotropic, soft hybrid materials with novel structures and properties. Within the previous funding periods, we synthesized a variety of spherical and rod-shape ferrite nanoparticles. Via the functionalization of the magnetic nanoparticles with divers (pro)mesogenic ligands, the surface properties of the magnetic nanoparticles were specifically engineered to yield stable, liquid crystalline hybrids, e.g. in 4-cyano-4‘-pentylbiphenyl (5CB). For this purpose, we synthesized divers (pro)mesogenic ligands, which contained a mesogenic unit (i.e. cyanobiphenyle, octylbiphenyle) and a binding group for the magnetic nanoparticles both linked by an alkyl group of varying length. The hybrid materials revealed interesting magneto-optical properties. Based on our previous results, we plan to synthesize and use dendritic, (pro)mesogenic ligands for the stabilization of larger and anisotropic magnetic nanoparticles in the liquid crystalline matrix, further improving the magneto-optical properties. In particular, we would like to exploit the potential of shape anisotropic magnetic nanoparticles to control the order parameters of the mesophase. In cooperation with other groups in the priority program we plan to do fundamental investigations on the magneto-optical and rheological properties. The results will serve as a basis for further theoretical investigations.