Synthesis and Applications of Encapsulated Glycol-Stabilized Lyotropic Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Hydrogels
The micro-phase segregation of two incompatible components on a nanometer scale results in a unique solvent-induced extended anisotropic arrangement. With the addition of a chiral dopant, lyotropic liquid crystals can be induced to adopt a helical structure, forming lyotropic cholesteric liquid crys...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| author | Yan-Ting Lin Chung-Yu Kuo Yi Shen Alexander V. Emelyanenko Chun-Yen Liu |
| author_facet | Yan-Ting Lin Chung-Yu Kuo Yi Shen Alexander V. Emelyanenko Chun-Yen Liu |
| author_sort | Yan-Ting Lin |
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| description | The micro-phase segregation of two incompatible components on a nanometer scale results in a unique solvent-induced extended anisotropic arrangement. With the addition of a chiral dopant, lyotropic liquid crystals can be induced to adopt a helical structure, forming lyotropic cholesteric liquid crystals capable of reflecting incident light. In this study, to prevent fluid leakage in lyotropic materials, we encapsulated a series of hydrogel-stabilized lyotropic liquid crystals, presenting tunable structural colors visible in all directions, mimicking the color-changing characteristics of living organisms. Hydrogel scaffolds with controllable swelling behaviors were engineered by incorporating crosslinking monomers. To ensure stable integration of lyotropic liquid crystals, high-boiling-point ethylene glycol was employed as a fluid during the fabrication process. This study extensively explores the relationship between tensile force, temperature, and pressure and the color changes in lyotropic liquid crystals (LC). The results indicate that lyotropic LC membranes, stabilized by ethylene glycol and PDMS encapsulation, exhibit long-term stability, rendering them suitable for applications in temperature and pressure sensing. This approach ensures the continuous presence and stability of lyotropic liquid crystals within the hydrogel matrix. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d0aee5901a7b48ac82a597007dd9919c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2310-2861 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Gels |
| spelling | doaj-art-d0aee5901a7b48ac82a597007dd9919c2025-08-20T03:24:38ZengMDPI AGGels2310-28612025-05-0111638810.3390/gels11060388Synthesis and Applications of Encapsulated Glycol-Stabilized Lyotropic Cholesteric Liquid Crystal HydrogelsYan-Ting Lin0Chung-Yu Kuo1Yi Shen2Alexander V. Emelyanenko3Chun-Yen Liu4Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, TaiwanDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, TaiwanDepartment of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, TaiwanFaculty of Physics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, RussiaDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, TaiwanThe micro-phase segregation of two incompatible components on a nanometer scale results in a unique solvent-induced extended anisotropic arrangement. With the addition of a chiral dopant, lyotropic liquid crystals can be induced to adopt a helical structure, forming lyotropic cholesteric liquid crystals capable of reflecting incident light. In this study, to prevent fluid leakage in lyotropic materials, we encapsulated a series of hydrogel-stabilized lyotropic liquid crystals, presenting tunable structural colors visible in all directions, mimicking the color-changing characteristics of living organisms. Hydrogel scaffolds with controllable swelling behaviors were engineered by incorporating crosslinking monomers. To ensure stable integration of lyotropic liquid crystals, high-boiling-point ethylene glycol was employed as a fluid during the fabrication process. This study extensively explores the relationship between tensile force, temperature, and pressure and the color changes in lyotropic liquid crystals (LC). The results indicate that lyotropic LC membranes, stabilized by ethylene glycol and PDMS encapsulation, exhibit long-term stability, rendering them suitable for applications in temperature and pressure sensing. This approach ensures the continuous presence and stability of lyotropic liquid crystals within the hydrogel matrix.https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/6/388cholesteric lyotropic liquid crystalhydrogelsensingcolor variationcrosslinkingencapsulation |
| spellingShingle | Yan-Ting Lin Chung-Yu Kuo Yi Shen Alexander V. Emelyanenko Chun-Yen Liu Synthesis and Applications of Encapsulated Glycol-Stabilized Lyotropic Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Hydrogels Gels cholesteric lyotropic liquid crystal hydrogel sensing color variation crosslinking encapsulation |
| title | Synthesis and Applications of Encapsulated Glycol-Stabilized Lyotropic Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Hydrogels |
| title_full | Synthesis and Applications of Encapsulated Glycol-Stabilized Lyotropic Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Hydrogels |
| title_fullStr | Synthesis and Applications of Encapsulated Glycol-Stabilized Lyotropic Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Hydrogels |
| title_full_unstemmed | Synthesis and Applications of Encapsulated Glycol-Stabilized Lyotropic Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Hydrogels |
| title_short | Synthesis and Applications of Encapsulated Glycol-Stabilized Lyotropic Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Hydrogels |
| title_sort | synthesis and applications of encapsulated glycol stabilized lyotropic cholesteric liquid crystal hydrogels |
| topic | cholesteric lyotropic liquid crystal hydrogel sensing color variation crosslinking encapsulation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/6/388 |
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