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Synthesis of Liquid Crystal Silane‐Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles and Their Effects on the Optical and Electro‐Optic Properties of a Structurally Related Nematic Liquid Crystal
Author(s) -
Mirzaei Javad,
Urbanski Martin,
Kitzerow HeinzS.,
Hegmann Torsten
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chemphyschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.016
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1439-7641
pISSN - 1439-4235
DOI - 10.1002/cphc.201301052
Subject(s) - liquid crystal , materials science , silane , nanoparticle , colloidal gold , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , chemistry , optoelectronics , composite material , engineering
Chemically and thermally robust liquid crystal silane‐functionalized gold nanoparticles (i.e. AuNP1–AuNP3) were synthesized through silane conjugation. Colloidal dispersions of these particles with mesogenic ligands that are structurally identical (as in AuNP1, AuNP2) or compatible (as in AuNP3) with molecules of the nematic liquid crystal (N‐LC) host showed superior colloidal stability and dispersibility. The thermal, optical, and electro‐optic behaviors of the N‐LC composites at different concentrations of each gold nanoparticle were investigated. All dispersions showed lower values for the rotational viscosity and elastic constant, but only AuNP3 with a dissimilar structure between the nanoparticle ligand and the host displayed the most drastic thermal effects and overall strongest impact on the electro‐optic properties of the host. The observed results were explained considering both the structure and the density of the surface ligands of each gold nanoparticle.