Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
3.9
2.4
Journals
Chemistry
Special Issues
Materials with Liquid–Crystalline Properties—Structure, Stimuli Responsiveness and Functionality
share announcement

Materials with Liquid–Crystalline Properties—Structure, Stimuli Responsiveness and Functionality

A special issue of Chemistry (ISSN 2624-8549). This special issue belongs to the section "Chemistry of Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September 2026 | Viewed by 1370

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Matthias Lehmann

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Organic Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
Interests: liquid crystals; supramolecular chemistry; stimuli responsive materials; ionic liquid crystals; mesogen design; ferroelectric; polar phases; organic synthesis; X-ray scattering (SAXS, WAXS, GISAXS); phase transitions; charge carrier mobility; ion mobility; donor-acceptor materials; fullerene hybride materials; helical structures; nanosegregation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Liquid crystals combine their fluid nature with either orientational and/or positional long-range order. This unique combination allows for stimuli-responsive properties; thus, the materials that can reply to external forces, including electric, magnetic or mechanical fields or light. The materials emerge from inorganic, organic or hybrid structures, and they may consist of small, low-molar-mass structures, colloidal particles, supra- or supermolecular assemblies and polymers. Liquid crystal properties and liquid-crystal-derived structures are omnipresent in nature, and play an important part in soft matter science. This Special Issue presents new directions in the field of liquid-crystal-derived materials, comprising advances in liquid crystal design, photonic materials, semiconductors, polar structures and their applications, soft robotics and liquid crystal chromophores and fluorophores with potential usage in sensing applications.

Prof. Dr. Matthias Lehmann
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Chemistry is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • liquid crystals
  • molecular engineering
  • self-assembly
  • nanostructure
  • stimuli responsiveness
  • photonics
  • soft robotics
  • sensing
  • semiconductors
  • polar liquid crystals
  • ionic liquid crystals

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 1807 KB  
Article
Encryption Using Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Epoxy Film with Regionally Tailored Cross-Linking
by Yingying Yi, Wenqian Yang, Yi Li, Wei Liu and Yonggang Yang
Chemistry 2026, 8(2), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemistry8020024 - 13 Feb 2026
Viewed by 638
Abstract
Vividly colored cholesteric liquid crystal polymer network (CLCN) patterns based on epoxy resin are used in decorative and anti-counterfeiting applications. These films are typically prepared via cationic photopolymerization and post-polymerization to achieve a high cross-linking degree. In this work, the cross-linking degree is [...] Read more.
Vividly colored cholesteric liquid crystal polymer network (CLCN) patterns based on epoxy resin are used in decorative and anti-counterfeiting applications. These films are typically prepared via cationic photopolymerization and post-polymerization to achieve a high cross-linking degree. In this work, the cross-linking degree is controlled by varying the UV irradiation dosage during photopolymerization. Following this, the reflection band of the CLCN film changes after removing non-cross-linked compounds with acetone. Leveraging the low cationic polymerization rate and the chain termination capability of methanol, a structurally colored CLCN film with regionally tailored cross-linking was fabricated. With the treatment of acetone, a colorful pattern was observed. Moreover, upon immersion in methanol, the film swelled, revealing a colorful pattern. After the evaporation of methanol, the pattern disappeared. Consequently, this CLCN film holds significant potential for information encryption applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Materials with Liquid–Crystalline Properties—Structure, Stimuli Responsiveness and Functionality)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

18 pages, 5415 KB  
Review
Liquid Crystalline Perylene Bisimide Derivatives Bearing Oligosiloxane Moieties
by Masahiro Funahashi and Shinobu Uemura
Chemistry 2026, 8(4), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemistry8040045 - 3 Apr 2026
Viewed by 313
Abstract
Perylene bisimide derivatives are typical n-type semiconductors as well as redox-active materials. However, it has been difficult to produce thin films by solution processes because of their low solubilities in organic solvents. Perylene bisimide derivatives bearing oligosiloxane moieties exhibit columnar phases over [...] Read more.
Perylene bisimide derivatives are typical n-type semiconductors as well as redox-active materials. However, it has been difficult to produce thin films by solution processes because of their low solubilities in organic solvents. Perylene bisimide derivatives bearing oligosiloxane moieties exhibit columnar phases over wide temperature ranges, including room temperature and high solubilities in organic solvents. The columnar phases are stabilized by nanosegregation between crystal-like one-dimensional π-stacks and liquid-like mantle consisting of oligosiloxane moieties. The electron mobility at room temperature exceeded 0.1 cm2V−1s−1 in the ordered columnar phases of perylene bisimide derivatives bearing four disiloxane chains. Uniaxially aligned thin films of the perylene bisimide derivatives bearing oligosiloxane moieties could be produced by a spin-coating method. The spin-coated films of the perylene bisimide derivatives bearing cyclotetrasiloxane rings could be insolubilized via in situ ring-opening polymerization by the exposure of the thin films to trifluoromethanesulfonic acid vapors. Uniaxially aligned thin films of perylene bisimide derivatives bearing an ethylene oxide chain as well as cyclotetrasiloxane rings could be doped in an aqueous solution of sodium dithionate, resulting in an anisotropic electrical conductivity. Polymerized thin films of perylene bisimide derivatives bearing a crown ether ring exhibited electrochromism in electrolyte solutions. These compounds formed 1:1 complexes with lithium triflate, exhibiting columnar phases at room temperature. The nanostructures of the complexes were stabilized by the electrostatic interaction between cationic crown-metal units and triflate anions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Materials with Liquid–Crystalline Properties—Structure, Stimuli Responsiveness and Functionality)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop