Surface Order of Hexagonal Columnar Mesophases Induced by Molecular Assembly

Abstract

We investigate the surface order, defects and morphology of hexagonal columnar mesophases, Having a crown ether at one end which forms the center of the column and three fluorinated tails at the other, The orientation of the columns was successfully controlled by surface anchoring: Columns were aligned perpendicularly to an evaporated carbon surface, and the planar alignment do asymmetric compounds was induced by a water surface. TEM images show that there is a high degree of perfection in the packing do the cylinders. The hexagonal columnar mesophase (F(sub)h) was confirmed by direct images and the corresponding electron diffractions, where ordered cylindrical moieties are packed on a hexagonal lattice. The column of 12F8-ABG-15C5 was much straighter, compared with that of 12F8-AG-B15C5, resulting from the degrees of regular stacking. Elementary edge dislocation, grain boundary and +1/2 disclination have been observed, although the defects are generally rare.