Photoresponsive helical nanofilaments of B4 phase

Abstract

New dimeric compounds forming a helical nanofilament phase (B₄) are reported. It is shown that filaments can be aligned in the macro-scale when grown from aligned smectic phase. Due to the photosensitivity of the mesogenic material, the patterning of the sample is possible by selective UV irradiation, which reversibly melts the B₄ phase and as a result locally changes the alignment of nanofilaments. Also, photosensitive composite materials are reported, in which nanofilaments encapsulate the smectic phase. In such composites, as the UV melting of filaments occurs, the layer spacing of the smectic matrix is shortened or lengthened depending on whether the cis or trans conformation of dimers enriches the matrix.