Boron-containing Materials for Electro-optical Applications

该项目结合了对硼的基本化学、结构-性质关系、有序流体中的远程分子间相互作用以及某些材料在光电子和通信行业中实际应用的潜力的理论和实验探索。该项目的重点是开发一种由无机硼簇合物衍生的新型钙质(棒状)液晶。材料的设计利用了团簇独特的空间和电子特性，如三维芳香性、高电子极化率、可变极性和高旋转轴。这种特性的组合在纯有机体系中是不存在的。建议的研究集中在具有横向和纵向偶极矩的向列相材料、铁电和反铁电液晶的介晶添加剂以及介晶非线性光学发色团。拟议的活动将包括量子力学计算、合成、表征和设备性能评估。该项目旨在对教育和研究生产力产生最大影响。该项目将使学生接触到广泛的研究活动，赋予他们在有机材料方面的多才多艺的专业知识，并为他们承担材料化学领域的复杂项目做好准备。本研究项目的主题是开发一种新类别的液晶，以解决基础和应用科学和技术中的问题。液晶结合了固体的典型性质，如光学和介电各向异性，以及液体的流动性。这种独特的性能组合使这些非凡的材料成为现代技术不可或缺的组件，如平板显示器、电信和传感器。该项目旨在对教育和研究生产力产生最大影响。

This project combines a theoretical and experimental exploration of the basic chemistry of boron, structure-property relationships, long range intermolecular interactions in ordered fluids, and the potential for practical applications of some of the materials in the optoelectronics and communications industries. The focus of the project is on developing a new class of calamitic (rod-like) liquid crystals derived from inorganic boron clusters. The design of the materials takes advantage of the unique steric and electronic features of the clusters such as three-dimensional aromaticity, high electronic polarizability, variable polarity, and high rotational axes. This combination of properties is not available in purely organic systems. The proposed study focuses on nematic materials with lateral and longitudinal dipole moments, mesogenic additives to ferro- and antiferroelectric liquid crystals and mesogenic nonlinear optical chromophores. The proposed activities will include quantum mechanical calculations, synthesis, characterization and evaluation of device performance. The project is designed to have a maximum impact on education and research productivity. The project will expose students to a broad spectrum of research activities, give them versatile expertise in organic materials, and prepare them to undertake complicated projects in the materials chemistry area.The subject of this research project is the development of a new class of liquid crystals to address issues in fundamental and applied science and technology. Liquid crystals combine properties typical for solids, such as optical and dielectric anisotropies, with the fluidity of a liquid. This unique combination of properties makes these remarkable materials an indispensable component of contemporary technology, such as flat panel display, telecommunication, and sensors. The project is designed to have a maximum impact on education and research productivity.