Detection of graphene chirality using achiral liquid crystalline platforms
Abstract
Monolayer graphene flakes were dispersed at low concentrations into two achiral liquid crystals (LCs) alkoxyphenylbenzoate (9OO4) and 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl (5CB), separately. The presence of graphene resulted in two types of chiral signatures in the LCs: an electroclinic effect (a polar tilt of the LC director perpendicular to, and linear in, an applied electric field) in the smectic-A phase of 9OO4, and a macroscopic helical twist of the LC director in the nematic phase of 5CB. Graphene flakes generally possess strain chirality and edge chirality. The non-covalent interactions between the LC molecules and chiral graphene flakes induce molecular conformational deracemization in the LC, exhibiting a bulk electroclinic effect and a macroscopic helical twist.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Sep 16, 2015
- Source ID
- 10.1063/1.4931147
Entities
People
- Alfred Garvey
- Daniel Kinnamon
- Rajratan Basu
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Naval Academy