Takashi Kato & Takuma Yasuda
talk with ScienceWatch.com and answer a few questions
about this month's Fast Breaking Paper Paper in the field of
Materials Science.
Article Title: pi-Conjugated Oligothiophene-Based
Polycatenar Liquid Crystals: Self-Organization and
Photoconductive, Luminescent, and Redox
Properties
Authors: Yasuda, T;Ooi, H;Morita, J;Akama,
Y;Minoura, K;Funahashi, M;Shimomuro, T;Kato,
T
Journal: ADV FUNCT MATER, Volume: 19, Issue: 3, Page: 411-419,
Year: FEB 10 2009
* Univ Tokyo, Sch Engn, Dept Chem & Biotechnol, Bunkyo Ku,
Tokyo 1138656, Japan.
* Univ Tokyo, Sch Engn, Dept Chem & Biotechnol, Bunkyo Ku,
Tokyo 1138656, Japan. (addresses have been
truncated.)
Why do you think your paper is highly
cited?
This paper describes a simple and versatile strategy for the development of
electro- and photo-functional nanostructured materials based on
p-conjugated molecules. The fabrication of well-defined complex
architectures based on functional molecules within molecular condensed
states remains a major challenge in the fields of chemistry and materials
science.
We believe that the induction of liquid-crystalline order into p-conjugated
materials is one of the most promising approaches. Use of
liquid-crystalline molecular order enables us to control molecular
self-organization processes and to induce dynamic and anisotropic
functionalities. The liquid-crystalline organic semiconductors based on our
design will be fascinating, not only for fundamental chemical and physical
researches, but also for industrial applications.
Does it describe a new discovery, methodology, or
synthesis of knowledge?
Coauthor: Takuma Yasuda
Our work offers a promising combination of liquid crystals and p-conjugated
semiconductors for the development of a new class of functional soft
materials. We suppose that this is one of the first attempts toward the
development of functional p-conjugated liquid crystals that are capable of
forming layered (2D), columnar (1D), and globular (0D) nanostructures by
self-assembly processes. Our design strategy may thus be applied for the
fabrication of organic electronic devices with tunable properties.
Would you summarize the significance of your paper
in layman's terms?
Liquid crystals are unique materials that combine molecular organization
and fluidity, and are now applied to informational displays. Proper design
of liquid crystals by adopting a variety of structures and interactions
leads to wider applicability as functional materials.
We have succeeded in combining unique electro- and photo-functions of
p-conjugated organic semiconductors with dynamic and
directionally-dependent properties of liquid crystals. This basic subject
is of importance for the development of flexible organic electronic devices
as well as solar cells.
How did you become involved in this research, and
were there any problems along the way?
Over the past two decades, our group has been working on self-assembled
functional materials, including supramolecular liquid crystals,
liquid-crystalline physical gels, ion-conductive liquid crystals, and
organic/inorganic hybrid materials (T. Kato et al., "Functional
liquid-crystalline assemblies: self-organized soft materials,"
Angewandte Chemie International Edition 45: 38-68, 2006; T. Kato,
"Self-assembly of phase-segregated liquid crystal structures,"
Science 295: 2414-18, 2002).
Our group has also started projects on the preparation and applications of
p-conjugated molecules as a new platform of functional soft materials in
order to develop more sophisticated advanced materials for energy
conversion and transportation. This has recently resulted in the
development of functional liquid crystals based on p-conjugated structures.
Where do you see your research leading in the
future?
Our materials design and concept will be expanded to a variety of
p-conjugated functional entities to further understand how differences in
molecular structures affect properties and functions of the condensed
materials. The structural versatility of our materials allows the
fabrication of functional soft materials with tailor-made properties.
We expect that our liquid-crystalline materials will make a greater impact
in the materials science field, and will be used in the future as active
materials in light-emitting diodes, field-effect and light-emitting
transistors, and solar cells with improved performances.
Dr. Takashi Kato
Professor
Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology
School of Engineering
The University of Tokyo
Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan Web
Dr. Takuma Yasuda
Assistant Professor
Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology
School of Engineering
The University of Tokyo
Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan