Effect of Nanoscale Interfacial Structural Transitions on Liquid Crystal Anchoring

该项目的重点是液晶（LC）和固体基板之间的界面表现出各种行为，如取向润湿，铺展，记忆效应，锚定过渡附近和远离体相转变。这项研究的目的是了解表面驱动的现象，这些现象起源于有机材料和液晶界面处的纳米级组织。实验技术，如掠入射同步加速器X射线衍射，X射线反射率，原子力和共焦显微镜，和电光测量将被用来研究纳米级结构和模型界面处的结构转变，以确定底层的界面纳米结构如何影响锚定液晶。研究生和博士后学者将接受使用先进设施和仪器的培训，同时通过与其他领域研究人员的互动获得跨学科的科学知识。此外，高中科学教师将接受有关LC阶段的各种问题的教育，这些问题在本质上是如此普遍。%表面和表面能量学在从常见的润湿到更复杂的现象（如粘附、液晶排列、表面记忆效应和相同流体的非聚结）的过程中起着重要作用。表面现象的经验知识已经导致了许多技术上重要的应用，如液晶平板显示器（LCD），用于医学的智能胶和高灵敏度的生物传感器。本科生和研究生，博士后学者和高中教师（夏季）将在当地，国家和国际设施中获得使用先进实验技术的培训，他们还将与来自不同学科和国家的科学家密切互动。由于这些材料研究领域对工业界有很高的兴趣，因此在这个NSF资助的项目上接受培训的学生将在就业市场上非常有效地竞争。

This project focuses on interfaces between liquid crystals (LC) and solid substrates exhibiting a variety of behaviors such as orientational wetting, spreading, memory effects, and anchoring transitions near and far from bulk phase transitions. The goal of the research is to understand surface driven phenomena that have origins in nanoscale organization at the interface of an organic material and the liquid crystal. Experimental techniques such as glancing incidence synchrotron x-ray diffraction, x-ray reflectivity, atomic force and confocal microscopies, and electro-optical measurements will be used to study the nanoscale structure and structural transitions at model interfaces to determine how the underlying interfacial nano-structure affects the anchoring of nematic liquid crystals. Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars will be trained in the use of sophisticated facilities and instrumentation while acquiring interdisciplinary scientific knowledge through interactions with researchers from other fields. In addition, high school science teachers will be educated about various issues related to LC phases that are so ubiquitous in nature.%%%Surfaces and surface energetics play an important role in processes ranging from common wetting, to more sophisticated phenomena such as adhesion, liquid crystal alignment, surface memory effects, and non-coalescence of identical fluids. Empirical knowledge of surface phenomena has led to a number of technologically important applications such as the liquid crystal flat panel display (LCDs), smart glue used in medicine, and highly sensitive bio-sensors. Undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and high school teachers (during the summer) will acquire training in the use of advanced experimental techniques at local, national, and international facilities where they will also closely interact with scientists from different disciplines and countries. Because these materials research areas are of high interest to industry, the students trained on this NSF funded project will compete very effectively in the job market.