Discotic Liquid Crystals with Graphene: Supramolecular self‐assembly to applications

Abstract

In past decades many breakthroughs have been witnessed in research on liquid crystals (LCs) and the application of LCs has spread. On another side graphene is considered as a rapidly rising star on the horizon of materials science, soft condensed matter physics and promising applications. Supramolecular chemistry of LCs and graphene together is described as “chemistry beyond the molecule”. A new class of 2D colloidal graphene oxide liquid crystalline material consisting discotic liquid crystallinity and their interactions with LCs present a platform for number of versatile properties and applications. This review focuses on discotic liquid crystalline (DLC) behavior of graphene oxide/reduced graphene oxide in various solvents, their characterization and application for energy storage, wet‐spinning fibers, electro‐optical devices, and displays etc. In the first part of this review, a brief introduction of discotic graphene oxide liquid crystals (GOLCs), their fundamental, synthesis process, supramolecular structures of graphene‐DLC composites is highlighted. In the second part, some important physical studies and application of this largest polycyclic aromatic core of DLCs are discussed. Finally, an outlook on this emerging two dimensional material in liquid crystal field with relevant scientific application background is presented.