Spectroscopic investigation on shuttlecock-shaped liquid crystalline trimers: Mesomorphic behaviour and its application in optical storage devices

• Published in: Heliyon Vol. 10; no. 18; p. e37455
• Main Authors: Sandhya Kumari, D., Shetty, Apoorva, Ranjitha, B.S., M, Vandana, Shanker, G., Alaasar, Mohamed, Hegde, Gurumurthy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 30.09.2024; Elsevier
• ISSN: 2405-8440; 2405-8440
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37455

In this paper, we discuss the synthesis and characterization of 2,3,4-tris[n-((4-(-cyanophenyl)diazenyl)phenoxy)alkyloxy]benzonitrile obtained by coupling 2,3,4-trihydroxy benzonitrile and (E)-4-((4-((n-bromoalkyl)oxy)phenyl)diazenyl)benzonitrile, pertain to shuttlecock shaped liquid crystals. The molecular structure was confirmed by NMR spectroscopic and elemental analyzer. The thermal behavior of the trimers was assessed using a polarizing optical microscope (POM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The three diazo groups in the trimers enabled us to study the photo-isomerization effect and evaluate their potential applications in optical storage devices. Importantly, we found these trimers easy to synthesize and process, paving the way for cost-effective alternatives to traditional LC materials. We fabricated an optical storage device to study the light effects on shuttlecock-shaped LC trimers, demonstrating that the geometry of the trimers plays a crucial role in determining structure-property relationships. [Display omitted] •Developed a novel shuttlecock-shaped liquid crystal, opening new avenues in material design.•Demonstrated robust liquid crystalline behaviour, including long-range nematic phases.•Exceptional photoisomerization performance, with high photoconversion efficiency.•Demonstrated strong potential for optical storage with extended thermal back relaxation.