RUI: Developing Organic Charge-Transfer Liquid Crystals: Towards Modular Control of Functional Properties in Laser Re-Writable Organic Medium

Denison University, Granville OH

Investigators

Abstract

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Joseph J. Reczek of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Denison University is preparing a new class of organic materials for potential use in data storage and information encryption. These materials have properties between those of liquids and solids and are constructed from molecules that contain aromatic rings. In organic chemistry, aromatic molecules are very stable and do not readily react with other substances. Since chemical bonds consist of electrons, aromatic rings are capable of conducting electricity and light in optical data storage, similar to molecular-scale wires. Professor Reczek designs and constructs an interactive educational exhibit, "The Solar Station". He also organizes and conducts a hands-on "Chemistry Challenge" competition for both middle and high school students at The Works Museum in Licking County, Ohio. He has also established a joint program between Denison University, The Works and The Ohio State University Newark branch to bring local 10-12 year-olds and their parents onto campuses for STEM lectures and laboratory demonstrations. This research focuses on the discovery and development of fundamentally new properties and chemistries in an emerging class of supramolecular organic materials, aromatic charge-transfer liquid crystals (ACT-LCs). Specifically, studies to advance the emergence of optoelectronic functional properties, material tunability, and controlled molecular assembly in new ACT-LCs are conducted through three main objectives. The first objective concentrates on the systematic design, synthesis, and combination/assembly of a series of aromatic molecules in a modular fashion to better understand and predict relationships between component structure and ACT-LC bulk properties including charge-transfer (CT) persistence, extended CT absorption range (NIR), and resolution of laser-writable optical dichroism. In the second objective, aromatic components having a large molecular dipole are incorporated into ACT-LCs to align orthogonal materials for field-effect applications and enhanced writable resolution. In the last objective, emerging ACT-LCs are explored as organic media for new methods of optical data storage and information encryption. This research provides training for undergraduate students in supramolecular and Nanochemistry. The project also has the potential to develop creative functional supramolecular nanomaterials for technological applications. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.