Soft discotic matrix with 0-D silver nanoparticles: Impact on molecular ordering and conductivity

Abstract

The interplay between liquid crystals and nanostructures is fascinating as well as challenging to understand the dispersion effect of nanomaterials onto liquid crystals. Herein, we report the dispersion of zero-dimensional silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in two discotic liquid crystals. The columnar stacks of 1,5-dihydroxy-2,3,6,7-tetrakis(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)-9,10-anthraquinone (RTAQ) and 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexabutoxytriphenylene (HAT4) discotics are self-assembled with silver nanoparticles in a hexagonal manner at different weight concentrations. The dispersion of NPs reduces the lattice parameter, intracolumnar packing and increases electrical conductivity by the order of four to five in HAT4 DLC.