Template confinement effects on discotic liquid-crystals (TEMPLDISCO)

• Antragsteller: Professor Dr. Patrick Huber; Professor Dr. Andreas Schönhals
• Fachliche Zuordnung: Physikalische Chemie von Molekülen, Flüssigkeiten und Grenzflächen, Biophysikalische Chemie
• Förderung: Förderung von 2010 bis 2014
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 158088440

The general aim of the project is to gain an essential increase of the basic knowledge on structureproperty relationships of nanoconfined Discotic Liquid Crystals (DCLC). There is a growing international interest on DCLC from both fundamental and applied point of research. The latter is due to a potential application of DCLC as innovative materials in organic and/or nanoelectronics. Confining DCLC into nanochannels of a template (porous silicon, porous aluminium) can serve as a break-through approach in this field which will be advantageous tp optimize and tune the formation of columnar phases over large length scales and realizing the coupling with other solid interfaces. To reach this aim a broad French/German consortium will be established which combines organic chemistry (synthesis of tailor made DCLC), inorganic chemistry (synthesis of nanoporous templates) with physical chemistry (characterization). Also the characterization of the nanoconfined DCLC interrelates a wide range of methods which includes structural characterization (Calorimetry, birefringence measurements X-ray, neutron scattering), the investigation of the molecular mobility (dielectric relaxation, NMR, quasielastic neutron scattering) and application related studies like conductivity measurements. Besides the points discussed, the project will contribute to a better understanding of physical chemistry of confined liquids and softmatter in general.

• DFG-Verfahren: Sachbeihilfen
• Internationaler Bezug: Frankreich
• Beteiligte Person: Dr. Denis Morinau