Pure Anisotropic Hydrogel with an Inherent Chiral
Internal Structure Based on the Chiral Nematic Liquid Crystal Phase
of Rodlike Viruses
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Abstract
Imparting
ordered structures into otherwise amorphous hydrogels
is expected to endow these popular materials with novel multiple-stimuli
responsiveness that promises many applications. The current contribution
reports a method to fabricate pure polymeric hydrogels with an inherent
chiral internal structure by templating on the chiral nematic liquid
crystal phase of a rodlike virus. A method was developed to form macroscopically
homogeneous chiral templates by confinement induced self-assembly
in the presence of monomers, cross-linkers and initiators. Polymerization
induced gelation was performed without perturbing the elegant 3D chiral
organization of the rodlike virus bearing double bonds. Furthermore,
a suitable method was found to remove the organic virus template while
keeping the desired polymeric replica intact, resulting in a pure
polymeric hydrogel with a unique internal chiral feature that originates
from the 3D chiral ordering of the cylindrical pores left by the virus.
Multiple-stimuli responsiveness has been demonstrated and can be quantified
by the change of the pitch of the chiral feature. The chiral structure
endows the otherwise featureless hydrogel with a unique material property
that might be used as a readout signal for sensing and acts as the
basis for responsive, biomimetic nanostructured materials