Liquid-crystalline complexes of mesogenic dimers containing oxyethylene moieties with LiCF3SO3: Self-organized ion conductive materials

Mesomorphic dimeric compounds consisting of rigid mesogenic cores and flexible oxyethylene chains have been prepared as liquid-crystalline materials capable of complexing with ionic species. The incorporation of LiCF3SO3 into these materials results in the induction of smectic A phases and significant mesophase stabilization. The ion-dipole interactions between lithium ions and oxyethylene moieties have stabilized the mesomorphic layer structures. Ionic conductivities have been measured for the complexes forming homeotropically aligned molecular orientation of smectic phases. The highest value of conduction, which is observed for the direction parallel to the layer in the smectic A phase, is 5.5 x 10(-4) S cm(-1). These results suggest that the complexes of LiCF3SO3 with mesogenic rod-coil-rod molecules containing oxyethylene chains can function as self-organized ion conductive materials.