Development of organic-inorganic lyotropic liquid crystals using humidity-induced phase transition

Abstract

Hygroscopic polysiloxanes were synthesized by polycondensation reaction of silane coupling agents. A spin-coated film consisting of polysiloxane and surfactant was prepared. The film has hygroscopic capacity and the surfactant changed its phase in response to humidity. The nanostructure of the surfactant was also fixed by photocrosslinking of the polysiloxane at any humidity. The humidity-induced phase transition method enabled a new manipulation of lyotropic liquid crystal phases after organic-inorganic hybridization.