Research Profile

Our research aims the design of novel liquid crystalline (LC) materials controlling the self-assembly of functional building blocks on a nanometer scale. The fluid properties facilitate the orientation of these nanostructures in self-healing thin solid films. We focus on LC molecules with non-conventional topology such as star, bent, board shape or Janus compounds. The structures are fine-tuned by the generation of free space, in which guests can be incorporated. Nanosegregation of incompatible building blocks and space-filling conduct the positioning of molecular units and produce complex functional LC materials. Detailed knowledge of these self-assemble processes is achieved via comprehensive studies by X-ray scattering techniques, modelling and photophysical investigations, which leads subsequently to the development of stimuli-responsive materials.

Key Publications

M. Lehmann et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 4110-4114, A Perfect Match: Fullerene Guests in Star-Shaped Oligophenylenevinylene Mesogens.
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201410662

M. Lehmann et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2015, 54, 9710-9714, Shape-Persistent, Sterically Crowded Star Mesogens: From Exceptional Columnar Dimer Stacks to Supermesogens.
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201501988

M. Lehmann et al, Chem. Mater. 2015, 27, 8181-8184, At the Limits of Liquids Crystallinity: Stimuli Responsive 3D Columnar Liquid Crystals and Soft Crystals  of Supramolecular Anthracene Mesogens.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.5b03382