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Magana JR, Pérez-Calm A, Rodriguez-Abreu C. Chromonic nematic liquid crystals in a room-temperature ionic liquid. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:1724-1727. [PMID: 35024700 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc05800b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Planar multiaromatic molecules hierarchically and selectively arrange into nematic chromonic liquid crystals in the room temperature ionic liquid 2-hydroxyethylammonium formate. In a proof of concept, these liquid crystals were used as reaction media to produce mesostructured silica materials under mild biomimetic conditions. Several other applications are envisaged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Rodrigo Magana
- Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Adria Pérez-Calm
- Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26 08034, Barcelona, Spain. .,Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Rodriguez-Abreu
- Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26 08034, Barcelona, Spain. .,Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26 08034, Barcelona, Spain
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Lee MJ, Duan FF, Wu PC, Lee W. Liquid crystal-photopolymer composite films for label-free single-substrate protein quantitation and immunoassay. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 11:4915-4927. [PMID: 33014590 PMCID: PMC7510875 DOI: 10.1364/boe.398858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Conventional liquid crystal (LC)-based biosensing at the LC-glass interface requires the assembly of an LC cell formed by two glass substrates with an LC film sandwiched in between. As most biochemical and clinical assays are performed on a single solid substrate, the feasibility of a single-substrate biodetection platform based on a thin film of LC-photopolymer composite was explored in this study. The LC mixture, consisting of nematic LC, E7 or AY40-006, doped with a small amount (≤ 5 wt%) of a photocurable prepolymer was spin-coated on a glass substrate modified with dimethyloctadecyl[3-trimethoxysilyl)propyl] ammonium chloride (DMOAP), a vertical alignment reagent, followed by irradiation with ultraviolet (UV) light. During the photopolymerization process, the accumulated and polymerized NOA65 at the LC-glass interface weakened the anchoring strength of DMOAP, resulting in a decrease in the pretilt angle of LC and allowing the LC molecules to be more easily disturbed in the presence of biomolecules, compared with vertically aligned LC in the absence of polymerized NOA65. Incorporating NOA65 in the LC film therefore provides a means for signal amplification. When an LC-photopolymer composite film consisting of AY40-006 and 4-wt% NOA65 was exposed to UV at 15 mW/cm2 for 30 s and utilized as the biosensing mesogen, the limits of detection were 1.6 × 10-12 g/ml for the direct detection of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and 2.1 × 10-8 g/ml for the immunoassay of the cancer biomarker CA125, significantly lower than those detected with AY40-006 alone or AY40-006/NOA65 mixture without UV irradiation. The results from this study offer a compelling implication on the biomedical application of LC-photopolymer composites in label-free and single-substrate biodetection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mon-Juan Lee
- Department of Bioscience Technology, Chang Jung Christian University, Guiren Dist., Tainan 71101, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Sciences Industry, Chang Jung Christian University, Guiren Dist., Tainan 71101, Taiwan
| | - Fei-Fan Duan
- Institute of Imaging and Biomedical Photonics, College of Photonics, National Chiao Tung University, Guiren Dist., Tainan 71150, Taiwan
| | - Po-Chang Wu
- Institute of Imaging and Biomedical Photonics, College of Photonics, National Chiao Tung University, Guiren Dist., Tainan 71150, Taiwan
| | - Wei Lee
- Institute of Imaging and Biomedical Photonics, College of Photonics, National Chiao Tung University, Guiren Dist., Tainan 71150, Taiwan
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Otón E, Otón JM, Caño-García M, Escolano JM, Quintana X, Geday MA. Rapid detection of pathogens using lyotropic liquid crystals. OPTICS EXPRESS 2019; 27:10098-10107. [PMID: 31045156 DOI: 10.1364/oe.27.010098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Lyotropic liquid crystals play an important role in many biological environments, such as micelles, liposomes, and phospholipid bilayers of cell membranes. In this work, we explore the performance of lyotropic liquid crystals as biosensors for macromolecules, proteins and whole microorganisms in hydrophilic media, i.e., the natural media where these specimens exist. The aim is to detect specific targets employing simple, unpowered sensors that can be used in the field, with minimum additional equipment. A number of different structures have been explored. The novelty in this work is the inclusion of a new optical effect, flow enhanced amplification, that allows for the semiquantitative detection of microscopic targets in lyotropic liquid crystal cells using the naked eye only.
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Gandhi SS, Chien LC. Unraveling the Mystery of the Blue Fog: Structure, Properties, and Applications of Amorphous Blue Phase III. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2017; 29:1704296. [PMID: 28994150 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201704296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The amorphous blue phase III of cholesteric liquid crystals, also known as the "blue fog," are among the rising stars in materials science that can potentially be used to develop next-generation displays with the ability to compete toe-to-toe with disruptive technologies like organic light-emitting diodes. The structure and properties of the practically unobservable blue phase III have eluded scientists for more than a century since it was discovered. This progress report reviews the developments in this field from both fundamental and applied research perspectives. The first part of this progress report gives an overview of the 130-years-long scientific tour-de-force that very recently resulted in the revelation of the mysterious structure of blue phase III. The second part reviews progress made in the past decade in developing electrooptical, optical, and photonic devices based on blue phase III. The strong and weak aspects of the development of these devices are underlined and criticized, respectively. The third- and-final part proposes ideas for further improvement in blue phase III technology to make it feasible for commercialization and widespread use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahil Sandesh Gandhi
- Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program and Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, 1425 Lefton Esplanade, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| | - Liang-Chy Chien
- Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program and Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, 1425 Lefton Esplanade, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
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Lee MJ, Chang CH, Lee W. Label-free protein sensing by employing blue phase liquid crystal. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2017; 8:1712-1720. [PMID: 28663859 PMCID: PMC5480574 DOI: 10.1364/boe.8.001712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Revised: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 02/14/2017] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Blue phases (BPs) are mesophases existing between the isotropic and chiral nematic phases of liquid crystals (LCs). In recent years, blue phase LCs (BPLCs) have been extensively studied in the field of LC science and display technology. However, the application of BPLCs in biosensing has not been explored. In this study, a BPLC-based biosensing technology was developed for the detection and quantitation of bovine serum albumin (BSA). The sensing platform was constructed by assembling an empty cell with two glass slides coated with homeotropic alignment layers and with immobilized BSA atop. The LC cells were heated to isotropic phase and then allowed to cool down to and maintained at distinct BP temperatures for spectral measurements and texture observations. At BSA concentrations below 10-6 g/ml, we observed that the Bragg reflection wavelength blue-shifted with increasing concentration of BSA, suggesting that the BP is a potentially sensitive medium in the detection and quantitation of biomolecules. By using the BPLC at 37 °C and the same polymorphic material in the smectic A phase at 20 °C, two linear correlations were established for logarithmic BSA concentrations ranging from 10-9 to 10-6 g/ml and from 10-6 to 10-3 g/ml. Our results demonstrate the potential of BPLCs in biosensing and quantitative analysis of biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mon-Juan Lee
- Department of Bioscience Technology, Chang Jung Christian University, Guiren Dist., Tainan 71101, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Huan Chang
- Institute of Photonic System, College of Photonics, National Chiao Tung University, Guiren Dist., Tainan 71150, Taiwan
| | - Wei Lee
- Institute of Imaging and Biomedical Photonics, College of Photonics, National Chiao Tung University, Guiren Dist., Tainan 71150, Taiwan
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Kumar A, Pattanayek SK, Kumari A, Prakash GV. Arrangement of chromonic liquid crystals near hydrophobic and hydrophillic surfaces. J Mol Liq 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2016.10.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Fong WK, Negrini R, Vallooran JJ, Mezzenga R, Boyd BJ. Responsive self-assembled nanostructured lipid systems for drug delivery and diagnostics. J Colloid Interface Sci 2016; 484:320-339. [PMID: 27623190 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2016.08.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Revised: 08/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
While stimuli-responsive polymers have received a huge amount of attention in the literature, responsive lipid-based mesophase systems offer unique opportunities in biomedical applications such as drug delivery and biosensing. The different mesophase equilibrium structures enables dynamic switching between nanostructures to facilitate drug release or as a transducer for recognition events. In drug delivery, this behavior offers researchers the means to deliver a therapeutic payload at a specific rate and time i.e. 'on-demand'. This review summarizes the distinctive features of these multifaceted materials and aggregates the current state of the art research from our groups and others into the use of these materials as bulk gels and nanostructured dispersions for drug delivery, biosensing and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wye-Khay Fong
- Food and Soft Materials Science, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland; Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Renata Negrini
- Food and Soft Materials Science, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jijo J Vallooran
- Food and Soft Materials Science, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- Food and Soft Materials Science, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Ben J Boyd
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
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Yao X, Nayani K, Park JO, Srinivasarao M. Orientational Order of a Lyotropic Chromonic Liquid Crystal Measured by Polarized Raman Spectroscopy. J Phys Chem B 2016; 120:4508-12. [PMID: 27074395 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b02054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals are distinct from thermotropic nematics from a fundamental standpoint as the structure of the aggregating columns is a function of both the temperature and concentration. We report on the thermal evolution of orientational order parameters, both the second (=scalar) (⟨P200⟩ (=S)) and fourth (⟨P400⟩) order, of sunset yellow FCF aqueous solutions, measured using polarized Raman spectroscopy for different concentrations. The order parameter increases with the concentration, and their values are high in comparison with those of thermotropic liquid crystals. On the basis of Raman spectroscopy, we provide the strongest evidence yet that the hydrozone tautomer of SSY is the predominant form in aqueous solutions in the isotropic, nematic, and columnar phases, as well as what we believe to be the first measurements of (⟨P400⟩) for this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuxia Yao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, ‡School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and §Center for Advanced Research on Optical Microscopy, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Karthik Nayani
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, ‡School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and §Center for Advanced Research on Optical Microscopy, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Jung Ok Park
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, ‡School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and §Center for Advanced Research on Optical Microscopy, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Mohan Srinivasarao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, ‡School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and §Center for Advanced Research on Optical Microscopy, Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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Alama S, Bronsard L, Lamy X. Analytical description of the Saturn-ring defect in nematic colloids. Phys Rev E 2016; 93:012705. [PMID: 26871133 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.93.012705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We derive an analytical formula for the Saturn-ring configuration around a small colloidal particle suspended in nematic liquid crystal. In particular we obtain an explicit expression for the ring radius and its dependence on the anchoring energy. We work within Landau-de Gennes theory: Nematic alignment is described by a tensorial order parameter. For nematic colloids this model had previously been used exclusively to perform numerical computations. Our method demonstrates that the tensorial theory can also be used to obtain analytical results, suggesting a different approach to the understanding of nematic colloidal interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stan Alama
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4K1
| | - Lia Bronsard
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4K1
| | - Xavier Lamy
- Institut Camille Jordan, Université Lyon 1, 43 Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, F-69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France and Max-Planck Institut, Inselstrasse 22, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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11
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Characterization of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR): A Perspective of Conventional Versus Recent Techniques. SOIL BIOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-14526-6_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Greenberg DL, Busch JD, Keim P, Wagner DM. Identifying experimental surrogates for Bacillus anthracis spores: a review. INVESTIGATIVE GENETICS 2010; 1:4. [PMID: 21092338 PMCID: PMC2988482 DOI: 10.1186/2041-2223-1-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2010] [Accepted: 09/01/2010] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is a proven biological weapon. In order to study this threat, a number of experimental surrogates have been used over the past 70 years. However, not all surrogates are appropriate for B. anthracis, especially when investigating transport, fate and survival. Although B. atrophaeus has been widely used as a B. anthracis surrogate, the two species do not always behave identically in transport and survival models. Therefore, we devised a scheme to identify a more appropriate surrogate for B. anthracis. Our selection criteria included risk of use (pathogenicity), phylogenetic relationship, morphology and comparative survivability when challenged with biocides. Although our knowledge of certain parameters remains incomplete, especially with regards to comparisons of spore longevity under natural conditions, we found that B. thuringiensis provided the best overall fit as a non-pathogenic surrogate for B. anthracis. Thus, we suggest focusing on this surrogate in future experiments of spore fate and transport modelling.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Greenberg
- Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-4073, USA
| | - Joseph D Busch
- Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-4073, USA
| | | | - David M Wagner
- Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-4073, USA
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Hussain A, Pina AS, Roque ACA. Bio-recognition and detection using liquid crystals. Biosens Bioelectron 2009; 25:1-8. [PMID: 19477113 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2009.04.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2009] [Revised: 04/23/2009] [Accepted: 04/24/2009] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Liquid crystals (LCs) are used extensively by the electronics industry as display devices. Advances in the understanding of the liquid crystalline phase and the chemistry therein lead to the development of LC exhibiting faster switching speed with greater twist angle. This in turn lead to the emergence of liquid crystal displays, rendering dial-and-needle based displays (such as those used in various meters) and cathode ray tubes obsolete. In this article, we review the history of LC and their emergence as an invaluable material for display devices and the more recent discovery of their use as sensing elements in biosensors. This new application of LC as tools in the development of fast and simple biosensors is envisaged to gain more importance in the foreseeable future.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Hussain
- REQUIMTE/CQFB, Centro de Química Fina e Biotecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
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Zhang S, Kumar S. Carbon nanotubes as liquid crystals. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2008; 4:1270-1283. [PMID: 18752206 DOI: 10.1002/smll.200700082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Carbon nanotubes are the best of known materials with a combination of excellent mechanical, electronic, and thermal properties. To fully exploit individual nanotube properties for various applications, the grand challenge is to fabricate macroscopic ordered nanotube assemblies. Liquid-crystalline behavior of the nanotubes provides a unique opportunity toward reaching this challenge. In this Review, the recent developments in this area are critically reviewed by discussing the strategies for fabricating liquid-crystalline phases, addressing the solution properties of liquid-crystalline suspensions, and exploiting the practical techniques of liquid-crystal routes to prepare macroscopic nanotube fibers and films.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanju Zhang
- School of Polymer, Textile and Fiber Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanata, GA 30332-0295, USA
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Tomasik MR, Collings PJ. Aggregation Behavior and Chromonic Liquid Crystal Phase of a Dye Derived from Naphthalenecarboxylic Acid. J Phys Chem B 2008; 112:9883-9. [DOI: 10.1021/jp803648g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle R. Tomasik
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081
| | - Peter J. Collings
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081
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Tam-Chang SW, Huang L. Chromonic liquid crystals: properties and applications as functional materials. Chem Commun (Camb) 2008:1957-67. [DOI: 10.1039/b714319b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Woltman SJ, Jay GD, Crawford GP. Liquid-crystal materials find a new order in biomedical applications. NATURE MATERIALS 2007; 6:929-38. [PMID: 18026108 DOI: 10.1038/nmat2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 239] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
With the maturation of the information display field, liquid-crystal materials research is undergoing a modern-day renaissance. Devices and configurations based on liquid-crystal materials are being developed for spectroscopy, imaging and microscopy, leading to new techniques for optically probing biological systems. Biosensors fabricated with liquid-crystal materials can allow label-free observations of biological phenomena. Liquid-crystal polymers are starting to be used in biomimicking colour-producing structures, lenses and muscle-like actuators. New areas of application in the realms of biology and medicine are stimulating innovation in basic and applied research into these materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott J Woltman
- Department of Physics, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
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