Development of Glassy Bicontinuous Cubic Liquid Crystals for Solid Proton-Conductive Materials

Tsubasa Kobayashi; Takahiro Ichikawa; Takashi Kato; Hiroyuki Ohno

doi:10.1002/adma.201604429

Development of Glassy Bicontinuous Cubic Liquid Crystals for Solid Proton-Conductive Materials

Adv Mater. 2017 Jan;29(4). doi: 10.1002/adma.201604429. Epub 2016 Nov 24.

Authors

Tsubasa Kobayashi¹, Takahiro Ichikawa^{1

2}, Takashi Kato³, Hiroyuki Ohno¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Nakacho, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan.
² PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, 332-0012, Japan.
³ Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan.

PMID: 27882615
DOI: 10.1002/adma.201604429

Abstract

Glassy bicontinuous cubic liquid crystals are developed to be a matrix having a hydrophilic infinite periodic minimal surface (IPMS). They function as a scaffold for water, leading to the formation of a 3D continuous hydrogen-bonding network of water molecules along the IPMS. This material design is advantageous for developing novel electrolytes with rigidity and high proton conductivity.

Keywords: bicontinuous cubic phase; glassy liquid crystals; infinite periodic minimal surface; proton conduction.