Conversion of inorganic nanosheet liquid crystals to inorganic biomimetic membranes

作为构建无机仿生膜的第一步，我们研究了在溶剂中剥离层状晶体制备的胶体液晶状态下钉住无机纳米片，将其转化为流体膜。通过对纳米片的仔细清洗、液晶域的生长和垂直于重力方向的电场的施加，使纳米片沉积，将液晶铌酸盐纳米片固定在水体系中。如果我们更仔细地控制畴的生长，就可以实现膜状结构。

We investigated pinning of inorganic nanosheets in a colloidal liquid crystalline state prepared by exfoliation of layered crystals in a solvent in order to convert them to fluid membranes, as a first step of constructing inorganic biomimetic membranes. Liquid crystalline niobate nanosheets were pinned in an aqueous system through careful washing of the nanosheets, growth of the liquid crystal domains, and application of an electric field in the direction perpendicular to gravity which causes sedimentation of the nanosheets. Membrane-like structures will be realized if we control the domain growth more carefully.