Comparison of the Photoinduced Orientation Structure in the Bulk and at the Near-Surface of a Photoalignable Liquid Crystalline Polymer Film

The thermally stimulated photoinduced in-plane and out-of-plane molecular reorientation behaviors of a polymethacrylate film comprised of 4-methoxycinnnamoylbiphenyl (MCB) side groups connected with a decylene spacer (PMCB10M) are compared in the bulk (>10 nm), at the inner-surface (∼10 nm), and at the near-surface (<2 nm) using polarized UV absorption and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopies. The biaxial reorientation characteristics in the bulk of the PMCB10 M films can be controlled by irradiating with linearly polarized (LP) UV light and subsequent annealing to generate self-organization of the MCB side groups. However, the homogeneous in-plane orientation at the near-surface, which can introduce homogeneous nematic low-molecular-weight liquid crystal mixture alignment, is observed regardless of the self-organization process. The differences in the orientation characteristics arise from long alkylene spacer and bulky mesogenic side groups

Development of Novel Decarboxylation-Urea Method toward Interlayer-Anion-Controlled Layered Double Hydroxides

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are representative of a 2D anionic clay. Simple and homogeneous synthesis of interlayer-anion-controlled LDH is essential for studies and industrial production. In this study, we report the one-pot synthesis of an LDH that is selective for interlayer anions, which was labeled as “decarboxylation-urea method”. We obtained LDHs intercalated with NO3–, Cl–, and SO42– by removing CO2 in this method. The ionic conductivities of the prepared LDHs were investigated for their applicability to electrolytes, and it was found that Zn–Al LDH intercalated with NO3– showed the highest ionic conductivity (18 mS cm–1). Therefore, the LDH intercalated with NO3– synthesized using the decarboxylation-urea method is promising as an alkaline solid electrolyte