Photoswitchable carbosilane-based polycatenars forming nematic, tilted smectic, hexatic, and cubic liquid crystalline phases

Key Points

• The study investigates how terminal chain topology affects the self-assembly of carbosilane-based polycatenars into various liquid crystalline phases.
• Synthesis of photoswitchable carbosilane-based polycatenars
• Characterization of liquid crystalline phases
• Analysis of self-assembly mechanisms
• Identification of nematic, tilted smectic, hexatic, and cubic phases
• Demonstration of how chain topology influences phase behavior

Abstract