Rational Design of Chromonic Liquid Crystals for the Fabrication of Anisotropic Organic Materials

这份由材料研究部固态材料化学项目授予内华达大学里诺分校的更新奖将重点研究离子芳香族化合物进入慢性液晶相的自组织和制造多功能各向异性（方向依赖）材料。这种兴趣是由高技术应用对具有复杂特性的多功能材料的需求不断增加所激发的。该研究将有助于更好地理解液晶和晶体相的结构-性能关系，这对于合理设计具有理想性能的化合物、分子水平控制材料性能、生成新的功能材料以及开发应用具有重要意义。由于对各向异性材料、长波和近红外染料以及一般光学材料的需求不断增加，本研究的成功将对社会产生广泛的影响。此外，综合教学和研究计划将为本科生，研究生和博士后研究人员提供重要的教育和培训。提出的研究有望通过更好地了解决定慢性特性的结构参数，在科学上有趣，在技术上重要。这些研究有望为构建下一代用于传感和显示应用的多功能材料所需的分子组分的未来设计提供科学指导。在教学、培训、教育和推广活动方面，该项目将传统的有机合成与现代材料研究相结合，为参与研究项目的学生提供广泛的培训基础。

This renewal award to University of Nevada Reno by the Solid State Materials Chemistry program in the Division of Materials Research will focus on studying the self-organization of ionic aromatic compounds into the chromonic liquid-crystalline phase and fabricating multi-functional anisotropic (direction-dependent) materials. This interest is motivated by the increasing demand of multi-functional materials with complex collections of properties for high technology applications. This research will provide a better understanding of the structure-property relationships in liquid-crystalline and crystal phases which is crucial for the rational design of compounds with desired properties, the molecular level control of materials properties, the generation of new functional materials, and the development of applications. The success of this research will broadly impact the society because of the increasing demand for anisotropic materials, long-wavelength and Near Infrared dyes, and optical materials in general. Furthermore, the integrated teaching and research program will provide important education and training to undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers.The proposed studies are expected to be scientifically interesting and technologically important by providing better understanding of the structural parameters that dictate chromonic properties. These studies are expected to provide scientific guidance for future design of the molecular components needed to construct the next generation of multi-functional materials for sensing and display applications. With respect to teaching, training, education and outreach activities, the project integrates traditional organic synthesis with modern materials research, and will offer a broad foundation of training for students involved in the research project.