Room-temperature discotic nematic liquid crystals over a wide temperature range: Alkali-metal-ion-induced phase transition from discotic nematic to columnar phases

Triphenylene derivatives possessing poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) units exhibited discotic nematic (N-D) phases at room temperature. Unique phase transition from a N-D phase to a hexagonal columnar (Col(h)) phase was triggered by the addition of alkali metal salts. This phase transition was dependent on the type of the counterion of alkali metal salts added.