Development of molecular hinges with discotic liquid-crystalline property and photo-switching of its liquid-crystal phases

这项研究的范围是开发盘状液晶材料，这种材料具有在光照射下在液晶和各向同性(液体)之间转换的能力。含烷氧基侧链的液晶大环偶氮苯，由于其大环主链的构象发生了剧烈的变化，在光照下表现出从液晶到各向同性以及从晶相到各向同性的等温相变。

The scope of this study is to develop discotic liquid-crystalline materials, those have capability to switch their phases between liquid crystal and isotropic (liquid) upon irradiation of light. Liquid-crystalline macrocyclic azobenzenes bearing alkoxy side chains, exhibit isothermal phase transitions from liquid-crystal to isotropic as well as from crystal to isotropic phases upon light irradiation due to the drastic conformational change of their macrocyclic backbone.