Liquid Crystals: Versatile Self-Organized Smart Soft Materials

Chemical Reviews, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 122(5), С. 4887 - 4926

Опубликована: Дек. 23, 2021

Smart soft materials are envisioned to be the building blocks of next generation advanced devices and digitally augmented technologies. In this context, liquid crystals (LCs) owing their responsive adaptive attributes could serve as promising smart materials. LCs played a critical role in revolutionizing information display industry 20th century. However, turn 21st century, numerous beyond-display applications have been demonstrated, which elegantly exploit controllable stimuli-responsive characteristics. For these applications, new LC rationally designed developed. Review, we present recent developments light driven chiral LCs, i.e., cholesteric blue phases, based windows that control entrance heat from outdoor interior buildings built environments depending on weather conditions, elastomers for bioinspired, biological, actuator biosensors detection proteins, nucleic acids, viruses, porous membranes separation ions, molecules, microbes, living under macro- nanoscopic confinement. The Review concludes with summary perspectives challenges opportunities This is anticipated stimulate eclectic ideas toward implementation nature's delicate phase matter future generations beyond.

Язык: Английский

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Photo- and Redox-Driven Artificial Molecular Motors

Chemical Reviews, Год журнала: 2019, Номер 120(1), С. 200 - 268

Опубликована: Авг. 15, 2019

Directed motion at the nanoscale is a central attribute of life, and chemically driven motor proteins are nature’s choice to accomplish it. Motivated inspired by such bionanodevices, in past few decades chemists have developed artificial prototypes molecular motors, namely, multicomponent synthetic species that exhibit directionally controlled, stimuli-induced movements their parts. In this context, photonic redox stimuli represent highly appealing modes activation, particularly from technological viewpoint. Here we describe evolution field photo- redox-driven provide comprehensive review work published 5 years. After an analysis general principles govern controlled directed movement scale, fundamental photochemical processes can enable its realization. The main classes light- motors illustrated, with particular focus on recent designs, thorough description functions performed these kinds devices according literature reports presented. Limitations, challenges, future perspectives critically discussed.

Язык: Английский

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Azobenzene-based solar thermal fuels: design, properties, and applications

Chemical Society Reviews, Год журнала: 2018, Номер 47(19), С. 7339 - 7368

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2018

Development of renewable energy technologies has been a significant area research amongst scientists with the aim attaining sustainable world society. Solar thermal fuels that can capture, convert, store, and release solar in form heat through reversible photoisomerization molecular photoswitches such as azobenzene derivatives are currently limelight research. Herein, we provide state-of-the-art account on recent advancements based photoswitches. We begin an overview importance azobenzene-based their fundamentals. Then, highlight advances diverse materials for pure derivatives, nanocarbon-templated azobenzene, polymer-templated azobenzene. The basic design concepts these advanced storage discussed, promising applications highlighted. then introduce endeavors toward efficient fuels, conclude new perspectives future scope, opportunities challenges. It is expected continuous pioneering involving engineers from technological backgrounds could trigger rapid advancement this important interdisciplinary field, which embraces chemistry, physics, engineering, nanoscience, nanotechnology, science, polymer etc.

Язык: Английский

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Nature‐Inspired Emerging Chiral Liquid Crystal Nanostructures: From Molecular Self‐Assembly to DNA Mesophase and Nanocolloids

Advanced Materials, Год журнала: 2018, Номер 32(41)

Опубликована: Авг. 30, 2018

Liquid crystals (LCs) are omnipresent in living matter, whose chirality is an elegant and distinct feature certain plant tissues, the cuticles of crabs, beetles, arthropods, beyond. Taking inspiration from nature, researchers have recently devoted extensive efforts toward developing chiral liquid crystalline materials with self-organized nanostructures exploring their potential applications diverse fields ranging dynamic photonics to energy safety issues. In this review, account on state art emerging nanostructured technological provided. First, overview significance architectures various systems given. Then, recent significant progress different including thermotropic LCs (cholesteric LCs, cubic blue phases, achiral bent-core etc.) lyotropic (DNA nanocellulose graphene oxide LCs) showcased. The review concludes a perspective future scope, opportunities, challenges these truly advanced functional soft promising applications.

Язык: Английский

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Beyond the Visible: Bioinspired Infrared Adaptive Materials

Advanced Materials, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 33(14)

Опубликована: Фев. 24, 2021

Abstract Infrared (IR) adaptation phenomena are ubiquitous in nature and biological systems. Taking inspiration from natural creatures, researchers have devoted extensive efforts for developing advanced IR adaptive materials exploring their applications areas of smart camouflage, thermal energy management, biomedical science, many other IR‐related technological fields. Herein, an up‐to‐date review is provided on the recent advancements bioinspired promising applications. First overview artificial technologies presented. Recent endeavors then introduced toward camouflage radiative cooling. According to Stefan‐Boltzmann law, can be realized by either emissivity engineering or cloaks. cooling maximize radiation object through atmospheric transparency window, thus holds great potential use energy‐efficient green buildings personal management advances emerging near‐IR (NIR) also discussed, including NIR‐triggered technologies, NIR light‐fueled soft robotics, light‐driven supramolecular nanosystems. This concludes with a perspective challenges opportunities future development materials.

Язык: Английский

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Carbon-based functional nanomaterials: Preparation, properties and applications

Composites Science and Technology, Год журнала: 2019, Номер 179, С. 10 - 40

Опубликована: Апрель 26, 2019

Язык: Английский

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Smart Materials for Microrobots

Chemical Reviews, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 122(5), С. 5365 - 5403

Опубликована: Фев. 1, 2021

Over the past 15 years, field of microrobotics has exploded with many research groups from around globe contributing to numerous innovations that have led exciting new capabilities and important applications, ranging in vivo drug delivery, intracellular biosensing, environmental remediation, nanoscale fabrication. Smart responsive materials had a profound impact on imparted small-scale robots functionalities distinct capabilities. We identified four large categories where majority future efforts must be allocated push frontiers microrobots smart can major such advances. These areas are propulsion biocompatibility microrobots, cooperation between individual units human operators, finally, intelligence microrobots. In this Review, we look critically at latest developments these discuss how contribute progress will set stage for next generation intelligent programmable

Язык: Английский

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Near‐Infrared Light‐Driven Shape‐Morphing of Programmable Anisotropic Hydrogels Enabled by MXene Nanosheets

Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 60(7), С. 3390 - 3396

Опубликована: Дек. 1, 2020

Abstract Herein, we report near‐infrared (NIR) light‐driven shape‐morphing of programmable MXene‐containing anisotropic hydrogel actuators that are fabricated through in situ free‐radical copolymerization a judiciously designed MXene nanomonomer with thermosensitive network. A low electric field (few V mm −1 ) was found to enable spatial distribution nanosheets and hence introduce anisotropy into the Programmable were developed by controlling ITO electrode pattern, direct‐current (DC) direction mask‐assisted photopolymerization. As proof‐of‐concept, demonstrate NIR shape morphing various shapes devise four‐arm soft gripper can perform distinct photomechanical functions such as grasping, lifting/lowering down releasing an object upon sequential light exposure.

Язык: Английский

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Multiple Anti‐Counterfeiting Guarantees from a Simple Tetraphenylethylene Derivative – High‐Contrasted and Multi‐State Mechanochromism and Photochromism

Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Год журнала: 2019, Номер 58(49), С. 17814 - 17819

Опубликована: Сен. 27, 2019

Abstract Herein the novel tetraphenylethylene (TPE) derivative 1 was designed with an integration of aggregation‐induced emission (AIE), multi‐state mechanochromism and self‐recovery photochromism. The molecule susceptible to grinding, heating vapor fuming showed corresponding transition its colors. heated powder or single crystal exhibited reversible After a short period UV irradiation, it bright red color, but recovered original white appearance within min. photochromism is due formation photocyclization intermediates upon while eversible attributed weak molecular interactions derived from head‐to‐tail stacking molecules. This multi‐state, high‐contrasted rapid responsive mechanochromic photochromic property cooperatively provide double enhancement multimode guarantee in advanced anti‐counterfeiting.

Язык: Английский

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Stimuli‐Driven Control of the Helical Axis of Self‐Organized Soft Helical Superstructures

Advanced Materials, Год журнала: 2018, Номер 30(25)

Опубликована: Март 30, 2018

Supramolecular and macromolecular functional helical superstructures are ubiquitous in nature display an impressive catalog of intriguing elegant properties performances. In materials science, self-organized soft superstructures, i.e., cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs), serve as model systems toward the understanding morphology- orientation-dependent supramolecular dynamic architectures their potential for technological applications. Moreover, most fascinating device applications CLCs primarily determined by different orientations axis. Here, control axis orientation its switching two three dimensions using external stimuli summarized. Electric-field-, magnetic-field-, light-irradiation-driven reorientation described highlighted. Different techniques strategies developed to achieve a uniform lying helix structure explored. Helical recently heliconical is examined. The spherical geometries such microdroplets microshells fabricated from these enticing photonic fluids also Future challenges opportunities this exciting area involving anisotropic chiral liquids then discussed.

Язык: Английский

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