AbstractsPhysics

NANOSTRUCTURES OF BENT-CORE LIQUID CRYSTALS - TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY, X-RAY AND POLARIZING MICROSCOPY STUDIES

by Zhang Cuiyu




Institution: Kent State University
Department: College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Chemical Physics
Degree: PhD
Year: 2015
Keywords: Physics
Record ID: 2058009
Full text PDF: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1427495895


Abstract

Our goal is to characterize the nano-structures of various bent core liquid crystal phases by combining transmission electron microscopy with small angle X-ray scattering measurements. Much of this research was made possible by the recent acquisition of a state-of-the-art transmission electron microscope (TEM) equipped with cryogenic (cryo-TEM), low-dose imaging and freeze fracture sample preparation facility in the Liquid Crystal Institute, supported by the Ohio Research Scholars Program Research Cluster on Surfaces in Advanced Materials. The low-dose cryo-TEM is desired to observe beam-sensitive specimens at high resolution, which makes it possible to study thermotropic liquid crystal materials.