Liquid crystalline nanowires in porous alumina: geometric confinement versus influence of pore walls.

Steinhart, Martin; Zimmermann, Sven; Göring, Petra; Schaper, Andreas K; Gösele, Ulrich; Weder, Christoph; Wendorff, Joachim H · Nano Lett · 2005

basic_science · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

Aligned liquid crystalline nanowires within ordered porous alumina templates show a pronounced texture on a macroscopic scale. We have investigated the influence of the geometric confinement and the nature of the pore walls on the mesophase formation by means of X-ray diffraction. The apparent texture is the result of a complex interplay of the pore geometry, interfacial phenomena, and the thermal history. Pores with a diameter of a few hundred nm guide the mesophase formation more efficiently than those with a diameter below 100 nm.

Medical subject headings