Progress of chiral nematic liquid-crystal systems with light-driven diarylethenes

doi:10.11949/0438-1157.20220592

Abstract

Abstract:

Liquid crystal systems can achieve self-assembly helical superstructure by incorporating chiral photoswitches with light-induced chirality variation upon the remote optical stimuli. Diarylethenes (DAE) are a traditional class of promising photochromic molecules that exhibit excellent performance as smart photoswitches in chiral nematic liquid-crystal systems. Focusing on structural design, this review summarizes the recent development of chiral DAE photoswitches with different helical twisting power (HTP) and their specific properties in liquid-crystal self-assembled helical structures, such as photoreversible wide-range tunability and light-controlled chirality inversion. The light-driven chiral nematic liquid-crystal systems based on DAEs provide potential applications in chiral modulation, optical display, tunable laser and so on. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities to the future development in this field.

Key words: photochromism, diarylethene, chirality, liquid-crystal, helical twisting power

摘要：

光控手性分子开关结合到液晶材料体系中，可以有效利用其光诱导的手性变化，实现远程光刺激液晶材料的自组装螺旋超结构。二芳基乙烯（DAE）是一类新型的、有前景的光致变色分子，作为智能光响应开关，在手性向列相液晶材料体系中表现出优异的性能。本文重点围绕结构设计，总结了一系列具备不同螺旋扭曲力（HTP）的手性DAE分子及其在液晶自组装螺旋结构中所产生的特定性能，如光可逆宽范围调控和光控手性反转。该类光控DAE手性向列相液晶体系在手性调控、光学显示、可调谐激光等领域具有巨大的应用潜力。最后讨论了该领域面临的挑战和机遇，并指出了未来可能的发展方向。

关键词: 光致变色, 二芳基乙烯, 手性, 液晶, 螺旋扭曲力

CLC Number:

O 753⁺.2

Honglong HU, Zhigang ZHENG, Weihong ZHU. Progress of chiral nematic liquid-crystal systems with light-driven diarylethenes[J]. CIESC Journal, 2022, 73(8): 3381-3393.

胡宏龙, 郑致刚, 朱为宏. 基于光控二芳基乙烯的手性向列相液晶体系研究进展[J]. 化工学报, 2022, 73(8): 3381-3393.

Figures/Tables 10

Fig.1 Conversion relationship among various configurations of DAE

Fig.2 Light modulated the reflection band of chiral nematic liquid-crystals[24]

Fig.3 Chemical structures of chiral DAE molecule 1 (a) [65] and molecule 2 (b)[66] and their corresponding textures under different light irradiation

Fig.4 Chemical structures of chiral DAE molecule (R)-D1, (R)-D3, (R)-D5, and their corresponding textures under different light irradiation[67]

Fig.5 Chemical structures of chiral DAE molecule 3 (a)[68] and molecule 4 (b)[69], and their corresponding reflection spectra under different light irradiation

Fig.6 Chemical structures of chiral DAE molecule 5 (a)[70], molecule 6 (b) [71] and molecule 7 (c) [72], and their corresponding reflection spectra and chirality inversion under different light irradiation

Fig.7 Chemical structures of chiral DAE molecule (M)-1o and (M)-2o, and their corresponding reflection spectral under different light irradiation[51]

Fig.8 Modulation of cholesteric liquid-crystal helical direction: (a) schematic illustration of near-infrared light driven chiral helix inversion[73]; (b) reflection spectra of the heliconical superstructures modulated by electric field and light[48]; (c) three-dimensional modulation of light-driven cholesteric helical axis[49]

Fig.9 Multicolor pattern display: (a) RGB three-color pattern display[69]; (b) polarization microscopy image of the liquid crystal droplet in reflection mode[50]; (c) reversible, erasable, gradient, angle-dependent multiple anti-counterfeiting technologies[51]

Fig.10 Light modulated laser emission: (a) laser spectra of the heliconical superstructures modulated by electric field and light[48]; (b) light manipulated laser emission and its corresponding reflection spectra[51]; (c) schematic diagram of the quadri-dimensional manipulable laser[74]

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