Micrometer-sized vesicles (giant vesicles) have drawn considerable attention as both the functional materials and model for the biological membrane. Here, by using synthetic amphiphiles having hydrolysable linkages, we have demonstrated two unique functions of giant vesicles: temperature-dependent morphological changes and durability under a wide pH range from basic to acidic conditions. The mechanism of these dynamics has been attributed to changes in the molecular packing of the vesicle membranes due to variations in amphiphile composition induced by the non-enzymatic hydrolysis. The current findings may therefore enable more precise control of membrane properties, which may lead to the development of new materials whose properties can be designable from the viewpoint of supramolecular chemistry.

Mixing two individually well-known materials is an established route to engineering composites with tailored properties. Such composite materials, namely those based on liquid crystals, offer the possibility of exploring phase behaviors in condensed soft matter, leading to exotic phenomena and technological innovations. This contribution reviews the design and application of advanced liquid crystal-based composites, which show emergent and intriguing properties that stem from interactions with strong magnetic fields or confinement in condensed polymer systems. This review should be of interest to academics and industries interested in magneto-responsive materials, non-volatile memory, and innovative approaches to protect and beautify the skin.

This review describes the synthesis and functionalization of inorganic materials with various properties by adsorption of amphiphiles. Self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of amphiphiles results in the fabrication of inorganic film that can control adsorption/desorption behavior of bovine serum albumin (BSA) by light irradiation and the detection of DNA by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements. Furthermore, when zinc oxide particles are synthesized in the presence of amphiphiles, amphiphiles work as crystal growth directing agent which determine the crystal growth direction.