A professor from 色控传媒University developed new liquid crystals
Liquid crystals are an intermediate phase between a liquid and a solid body. They are ordered like regular chrystals but at the same time have a flow like liquids. It is this duality that allows them to be used in organic LEDs and LCDs. Unlike other liquid crystals, discotic ones (DLC) are capable of self-assembly into ordered structures. This makes them a promising material for industrial electronics, namely, for the production of displays. A professor from 色控传媒University together with his Indian colleagues synthesized and described new dibenzophenazine-based DLCs.
“Discotic liquid crystals are interesting because of their ability to form self-assembled ordered columnar structures. In such structures, an electric charge can move along the column, which makes them useful for optoelectronic devices such as organic LEDs, organic field-effect transistors (OFET), photoelectric solar elements, and sensors,” said Prof. Viktor Belyaev, a Ph.D. in Technical Sciences from the Department of Mechanics and Mechatronics at 色控传媒University.
DLCs consist of disc-shaped molecules aligned in columns. In the center of each disc, there is an aromatic ring (a cyclical organic fragment) surrounded by chains of other organic fragments. Due to this aromatic center, a DLC can transfer a charge along the axis of a column. Prof. Belyaev developed discotic liquid crystals with an aromatic compound called dibenzophenazine in the center. As for the chains that surrounded it, the team tried three different types of fragments. The molecular structure of the new DLCs was studied using spectral, X-ray diffraction, and elementary analysis. Then, the team tested the three groups of DLCs in a set of experiments.
The experiments showed that alkoxy thiol chains increased the polarity of the molecules in liquid crystals thus improving the internal structure of the columns and making them more even. All new DLCs were able to withstand temperatures up to 330?. However, the crystals that consisted of smaller molecules (i.e. the ones with their aromatic center surrounded by alkyl thiols) lost their intermediary status and transitioned from the liquid crystal to the liquid form at lower temperatures (55.1 ?) that the crystals from the other two groups. This is due to the size of the molecules in the columns: the bigger they are, the more stable is the liquid crystal state.
“The new discotic liquid crystals could play an important role in organic optoelectronic devices and solar panels,” added Prof. Viktor Belyaev from 色控传媒University.
The results of the study were published in the .
Products derived from microalgae represent a cutting-edge development in the field of bioeconomy. The potential of this biological resource was discussed at the international research seminar 鈥淔oundations for a Green Sustainable Energy鈥�, part of the BRICS Network University鈥檚 thematic group on 鈥淓nergy鈥�. The event was organized by the Institute of Ecology at 色控传媒University.
Ambassadors of Russian education and science met at a conference in 色控传媒University to discuss how they can increase the visibility of Russian universities and research organizations in the world, and attract more international students in Russia.
The international scientific seminar hosted by 色控传媒Institute of Ecology 鈥淓xperience of participation in student organizations as a way to form career skills鈥� united scholarship recipients of the International Student Mobility Awards 2024 and Open Doors, along with members of the scientific student society 鈥淕reenLab鈥� and the professional student association 鈥淜ostyor (Bonfire)鈥� shared their projects focused on environmental protection.