Dendritic physical gel: A liquid crystalline gel for application in light scattering displays

Abstract

Dendrimers are fascinating nano-objects which have predictable three-dimensional architecture, monodisperse molecular weight distribution, and various remarkable properties, e.g. encapsulation, catalysis, low viscosity, and unique optical properties. Functionalized dendrimers, i.e. dendrimers incorporating active or reactive functionalities either in the core or at the periphery, are considered new materials with high potential for modern technology applications. The possibility of molecular design of organized supramolecular assemblies constructed from dendritic macromolecules has generated enthusiastic investigations at the frontiers of chemistry, physics, biology, and materials sciences. Along this line, we have reported dipeptide core poly(benzyl ether) dendrimers as a new class of functional dendrimers that form a physical gel in organic solvent with a significantly high gelation ability. Liquid crystals (LCs) play very important roles in modern life, and various types of LC displays have been proposed and put into practical use. A typical LC display has a twist nematic liquid crystal element which is composed of a pair of polarizing plates and a twisted LC layer. The presence of the polarizing plates results in decreased brightness, therefore, recently, several types of display media that do not contain polarizing plates have been proposed. LC gels have great potential for use as an element in the display medium and would not require polarizing plates. In this context, we report the first example of the application of dendritic physical LC gel in light scattering display materials.