Liquid crystalline thermotropic and lyotropic nanohybrids.

This review is meant to give the reader an insight into hybrids incorporating different types of nanoparticles, e.g. metallic or metal oxides, within different types of lyotropic and thermotropic liquid crystals, from relatively small calamitic molecules to the larger discotics and polymers. In particular, this review highlights the importance of nanoparticle-liquid crystal interactions in accessing hybrid materials that exhibit synergetic properties.

ZnO/liquid crystalline nanohybrids: from properties in solution to anisotropic growth.

Branched thermotropic liquid crystals (LCs) were successfully used as stabilizers for the synthesis of isotropic photoluminescent ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) in solution. (1)H NMR spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry experiments demonstrate the existence of specific interactions between the LC and both the ZnO precursor and ZnO NPs. This offers the possibility for some branched molecules to act as structurally ordered hosts for the anisotropic growth of ZnO NPs.