Hierarchical organisation in shape-amphiphilic liquid crystals

Shape-amphiphilic liquid crystals offer a route towards complex assemblies at the difficult 10 nanometer length scale. We present the preparation and mesomorphic characterisation of three novel shape amphiphiles based on azobenzenes. Their mesophases range from a simple nematic to complex lamellar phases of alternating layers of discotic and calamitic mesogens. In all smectic phases, the discotic and calamitic moieties are nanophase separated. As the different sub-layers start to tilt and/or display in-layer order independently, the mesophase assignment becomes more complex. Using temperature dependent X-ray diffraction we studied their characteristics.