Polymer Journal

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-020-00414-6

FOCUS REVIEW

Emerging nanoscience with discotic liquid crystals

Manish Kumar1,2 Shalaka Varshney2,3 Sandeep Kumar2,4
● ●

Received: 29 July 2020 / Revised: 26 August 2020 / Accepted: 26 August 2020

© The Society of Polymer Science, Japan 2020

Abstract
Discotic liquid crystals (DLCs) are one-dimensional organic semiconducting materials and represent new low cost,
rejuvenating materials in optoelectronics. The development of novel supramolecular materials based on liquid crystals (LCs)
hybridized with various metallic, semiconducting, and carbon-based materials with optimized functionalities on the
nanometer scale attracted much attention in liquid crystal nanoscience. The ability to combine supramolecular liquid
crystalline chemistry with nanoscience is very attractive for several reasons. This review focuses on our recent advances in
discotic liquid crystal nanoscience. Driven by the self-assembly of both liquid crystals and nanostructures, LC–nanomaterial
nanocomposites (LC–NCs) are spontaneously formed through molecular self-organization at the nanometer scale. The
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careful design of different LC–NCs through enhanced LC properties opened a new era for organic electronics. A brief
introduction to LCs is presented with emphasis on DLCs, which is followed by recent developments in the self-assembly of
various nanostructures in discotics. We focus on how nanostructures can be self-assembled in such supramolecular materials
so that self-organizing functional systems of discotics can be created with tuned physical properties, such as the thermal
stability, optoelectronic and dielectric parameters, and response time, in LCs. We conclude this review by discussing the
further development of nanoscience with LCs and applications in organic electronics.
Keywords Nanomaterials Self-assembly Discotic liquid crystal Nanowires Graphene Quantum dots
● ● ● ● ●

Introduction sensing, drug delivery, catalysis, and nanocomposites [1–3].

Self-assembly arises due to the thermodynamic stabilization
The self-assembly of nanoscale objects into nanoscopic of the assembled structure, which is characterized by
structures is a spontaneous process, which is a focus in the reversibility and cooperative formation of supramolecular
current field of nanoscience and in numerous applications of structures in well-defined nanocomposites [4]. Liquid
small-scale materials with advanced functions and trans- crystals (LCs) are fascinating self-assembled materials that
mogrified properties, for example, in bioelectronics, exhibit these properties, i.e., order and mobility in crystal-
line solids and liquids, respectively. Due to their extra-
ordinary electrical conductivity and strong self-organizing
nature, they are potential candidates in organic optoelec-
* Manish Kumar tronics, and the most elaborate application of LCs occurs in
manish@rri.res.in
LC displays [5–8].
* Sandeep Kumar
skumar@rri.res.in Over the past two decades, nanostructured materials such
as metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) [9], semiconducting
1 nanomaterials such as quantum dots (QDs) [10], nanowires
Department of Physics and i3N—Institute for Nanostructures,
Nanomodulation and Nanofabrication, University of Aveiro, (NWs) [11], nanorods (NRs) [12], carbon nanotubes
3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal (CNTs) [13], fullerenes, and graphene [14–16] have
2
Raman Research Institute, C.V. Raman Avenue, attracted extensive interest in science and technology fields.
Bangalore 560080, India In past years, hybrid nanomaterials composed of both
3
Department of Chemical Sciences, Ariel University, 40700 organic and inorganic nanomaterials have been developing
Ariel, Israel as an emerging field in various scientific areas. The doping
4
Deparment of Chemistry, Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology of LCs with nanomaterials is a new strategy for tuning the
(NMIT), Yelahanka, Bangalore 560064, India properties of LCs for application because this process can
 M. Kumar et al.

yield composites with different and possibly better features

than those of the original systems. The modification of LCs
generally depends on the type and amount of the nanoma-
terials of interest, which alter the characteristic properties of
LCs. Nanoparticle (NP) assembly in LCs has been explored
in several LC systems [17–22]. Recently, liquid crystalline
nanocomposites have emerged as a multidisciplinary field
of research, drawing attention towards soft-matter
nanoscience [23, 24]. In this focus review, we provide an
overview of our recent advancements in discotic liquid
crystalline nanoscience. We present a perspective on the
advantages offered by nanomaterial architectures for var-
ious applications in optoelectronics, nonlinear optics,
enhanced conductors, etc.

Self-assembly of discotic liquid crystals

(DLCs) into a one-dimensional (1-D) organic
semiconductor wire

Supramolecular structures form due to noncovalent inter-

actions in disc-shaped molecules commonly referred to as
DLCs. DLCs consist of a rigid core, provides crystalline
properties, and peripheral flexible aliphatic chains sur-
rounding the core, which are responsible for the liquid-like
nature of the mesophase. Most discotics exhibit only one Fig. 1 Schematic illustration of a general template for discotic meso-
type of mesophase, but a few examples of polymorphism gens and self-organization of disc-like molecules into discotic,
nematic, and columnar mesophases (top). The columnar hexagonal
are also known; thus, DLCs are classified into three types
arrangement of discotic cores in the 1-D semiconductor indicates
(Fig. 1): (a) nematic, (b) columnar, and (c) lamellar. Dis- charge migration along stacks of discs
cotic nematic (ND) phases are the simplest liquid crystalline
phase, are rarely observed and are the least ordered. In ND
phases, the molecules possess only orientational order, not intracolumnar (core–core) separation in a columnar meso-
positional order, and the molecules remain more or less phase is usually on the order of 0.35 nm, while the inter-
parallel. Nematic DLCs can be polymerized to form nega- columnar (neighboring columns) separation is generally in
tive birefringence films; these films have been commercia- the range of 2–4 nm, depending on the length of the flexible
lized as compensation foils to enlarge the viewing angle of chains. Therefore, intracolumnar interactions are much
commonly used LCDs [25, 26]. In columnar DLCs, the stronger than intercolumnar interactions. The columnar
mesogens consist of a π-conjugated rigid core, and the phases of DLCs are regarded as model systems for the study
attached flexible chains self-assemble into columnar struc- of energy and charge migration in self-organized supra-
tures via molecular stacking. Thus, an overlap of π-orbitals molecular assemblies. This columnar arrangement of aro-
produces 1-D channels in the columnar structures, which matic cores can transport charge efficiently along with the
allows quasi-1-D charge transport (Fig. 1). The columnar columns in quasi-1-D; therefore, the electrical conductivity
DLCs can then self-organize into different lattices, for along the columns in columnar mesophases has been
example, a hexagonal lattice (Colh), rectangular lattice observed to be several orders of magnitude higher than that
(Colr), oblique lattice (Colob), plastic lattice (Colp), and in the perpendicular direction [27, 28]. The exchange of
helical lattice (H). In the lamellar mesophase (DL), the charge carriers between neighboring columns is strongly
mesogens are ordered in layer-like structures. The structure hindered due to the insulating alkyl chains; hence, the
of the lamellar mesophase is still not completely columnar LCs are considered quasi-1-D semiconductors.
understood. A variety of DLCs have been synthesized, and their
The most common DLCs used for synthesis and device structural and mesomorphic characteristics have been
applications are columnar DLCs. In the columnar meso- widely reported for their use in soft optoelectronics [29].
phase of DLCs, the aromatic cores are oriented in columns The majority of DLCs (~95%) form columnar phases, and
separated by molten aliphatic hydrocarbon chains. The the most investigated discotic aromatic cores are
Emerging nanoscience with discotic liquid crystals

triphenylene, anthraquinone, phthalocyanine (Pc), etc., nanomaterials have been dispersed in DLCs to enhance the
which possess strong π–π interactions favoring columnar order and conductivity of the systems, which has been
stacking of the molecules. Depending on the charge carrier reported in several articles, book chapters, and reviews.
characteristics, DLCs can be easily designed and synthe- This doping can introduce electrons or holes into the DLC,
sized in both p-type and n-type, and their optoelectronic and as a result, the conductivity can be enhanced by several
properties can be easily tuned via proper chemical mod- orders of magnitude. In such composites, the DLC order is
ification through high purity chemical synthesis. In addi- better than that of the pure systems as a result of the strong
tion, they can be easily aligned in both homeotropic and electron donor–acceptor interactions within the column due
planar configurations for better charge migration, are solu- to the sandwich type structure [35, 36].
ble in common organic solvents, and have low melting Some of the general trends of conductivity in DLCs are
points, and, therefore, can be economically favorable as follows:
organic semiconductors. A significant advantage of DLCs is
that defects can be self-annealed in contrast to typical (a) In many DLCs, the conductivity in the columnar
organic materials and the crystals can be oriented in the hexagonal phase is higher than those in the crystalline
applied electric and magnetic fields. Through the overlap of and isotropic phases, while the conductivity is lower
molecular orbitals, the aromatic cores assemble into long- in the crystalline phase due to restricted charge
range ordered 1-D structures. The self-organization of dis- migration. However, in some cases, the charge
cotic molecules in columns is very significant for soft mobility in the ordered crystalline phase is found to
nanoelectronic and organic electronic applications [5]. be higher than that in the mesophase. In the isotropic
The charge carrier mobility is directly related to the phase, the liquid crystalline order is collapsed,
molecular ordering, and hence, increasing the order in the resulting in a decrease in the mean free path, and
columnar structure is expected to enhance the charge car- the charge carriers are trapped, leading to a decrease
rier mobility. This order can be enhanced by (i) enlarging in charge mobility.
the polycyclic aromatic core size as a result of intense (b) The two mesogens are coupled via molecular
π–π interactions [5, 23, 30–32] (an empirical relationship vibrations and are represented by potential surfaces
(∑μ1−D = 3 exp(−83/n)[cm2 V−1 s−1]) between the charge in the harmonic approximation. In more ordered
mobility (∑μ1−D) and core size has also been proposed DLCs, usually, the molecules are packed closely, and
[30], where ∑μ1−D is sum of the mobilities of holes and the core–core separation is reduced, promoting the
electrons along the axis of the columnar stacks and n is the hopping of the charges [37, 38]. This was reported by
number of carbon atoms in the aromatic core), (ii) dis- Garcıa-Frutos et al. [45], who revealed that the
persing large discotics in archetypal DLCs to improve the molecular interaction could be increased by stiff
physical properties through polytopic interactions [33], alkine connections, decreasing the stacking distance
and (iii) dispersing a minimal amount of metallic, semi- and increasing the conductivity. As the chain length
conducting, or carbon NPs to reduce the lattice parameter increases, the core–core distance increases, which
and core–core separation, hence improving the overall results in a lower coupling between the cores, hence
molecular order and improving the charge hopping reducing the conductivity [46]. The mobility of
mechanism [23, 34–38]. In an inherently disordered DLC, hexapentyloxytriphenylene (HAT5) is one order of
the localized states are generated within the bandgap, and magnitude higher than 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexakis(hexy-
these states have a considerable influence on the con- loxy)triphenylene (HAT6) [46].
ductivity [39]. These topics have been covered in many (c) In less ordered columnar systems, the mesogens can
reviews [5, 31, 32, 40–42]. rotate around the column axis. The optimum mutual
Like any other organic material, LCs are insulators in arrangement of two neighboring molecules for the
their pure state; however, they can be made to transport transfer of a charge carrier is thus permanently
charges by producing charge via chemical or photochemical disturbed by the rotation, and the charge transport is
doping. Various dopants, e.g., I2, Br2, trinitrofluorenone, hindered [47].
aluminum chloride, and ferrocenium ions, have been used
to introduce conducting characteristics in such systems The essential characteristic of optoelectronic device
[29, 43]. However, the most effective route is doping with applications is the charge carrier mobility (µC) in DLCs,
trinitrofluorenone; for example, a DLC, namely, hexahex- and the most widely used technique to measure the
ylthiotriphenylene (HHTT), was doped with a small amount mobility is the time-of-flight (TOF) measurement, which
(0.62 mol%) of trinitrofluorenone, and the conductivity relies on charge photoregeneration or pulse radiolysis-
parallel to the columnar axis (σ||) increased by a factor of time-resolved microwave conductivity (PR-TRMC). To
107 or more [44]. Based on this doping concept, various measure charge carriers in DLCs, TOF was first used by
 M. Kumar et al.

Haarer and coworkers [48–50], and they reported charge The self-organization of nanomaterials in the LC medium
carrier mobilities up to 0.1 cm2V−1 s−1 in HHTT DLCs. could be an ideal strategy for exploring and controlling
The carrier mobility of HAT6 has been reported to be as the organization of matter on the nanometer to the
high as 7 × 10−4 cm2V−1 s−1 [27, 51]. Another way to micrometer scale [34]. Preparing advanced functional
measure the conductivity is based on temperature- materials by assembling metallic, semiconducting, or
dependent conductivity (σ); we have reported the σ carbon nanostructures via self-assembly into LCs is a
values of several DLCs, such as 1.72 × 10–9 S.m−1 for unique method, and the synergistic relationship between
hexabutyloxytriphenylene (HAT4) [52, 53], 10−11 S.m−1 DLCs with high molecular order and mobility at the
for HAT6, 10–10 S.m−1 for Pc [54], and 3.43 × 10−8 S.m−1 molecular and supramolecular levels (“1-D molecular
for 1,5-dihydroxy-2,3,6,7-tetrakis(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)- wires”), self-healing properties, self-alignment with the
9,10-anthraquinone (RTAQ) [55]. Charge carrier mobility excellent optoelectronic properties of zero-dimensional
is a key factor in realizing efficiency in organic devices (0-D), 1-D, and two-dimensional (2-D) metallic, semi-
such as OPVs and OLEDs [5, 56]. The lower carrier conducting, and carbon NPs may yield advanced func-
mobility and conductivity values of DLCs hamper their tional materials for next-generation electronic and
potential as candidates for optoelectronic applications; optoelectronic applications [19–21]. Thus, making nano-
thus, to eliminate the conductivity issue, we focused our composites for both LCs and nanostructures may open an
research on nanocomposites of several nanomaterials with avenue for various applications. During the past 5 years,
various DLCs. various efforts have been made to disperse 0-D, 1-D, and
2-D nanostructures, such as metallic NPs, NRs, NWs,
QDs, fullerenes, graphene oxide, graphene NPs, CNTs,
LCs with nanoscience semiconductor nanoribbons, and ferroelectric NPs, in
different types of LCs, such as discotic, calamitic, and
Over the past 30 years, LCs have been implemented for ferroelectric LCs, to prepare hybrid nanostructure-LC
various applications, such as biological [19], drug deliv- systems via self-assembly with better properties than
ery [57], microbe detection [58], optoelectronic undoped LCs and NPs [18, 23, 34, 68–70]. However, our
[8, 25, 59, 60], organic electronic [5], photonic [61], laser group mainly focused on the investigation of the disper-
[62], digital hologram [63], and elastomer [64] applica- sion of 0-D, 1-D, and 2-D nanostructures to form hybrid
tions, but limitations, such as low optical emissions, nanostructure-LC systems with DLCs (Fig. 2), which we
suppressed charge carrier mobility, photoconductivity, discuss in the next sections.
high response time, limited control over the desired
molecular orientation, and spontaneous alignment cap- OR SR
ability, limit their extensive use for applications in thin- OR SR

film devices such as sensors, displays, solar cells, and RO RS

light-emitting diodes [65]. On the other hand, nanoma-
terials such as metallic NPs, semiconductor QDs, CNTs, RO RS
and graphene have been extensively used in similar OR SR
applications, but their high cost and environmental OR SR
degradation hinder their use in abundant amounts. LCs are HAT4: R = C4H9 HHTT: R = C6H13
very important in nanoscience and nanotechnology HAT5: R = C5H11
[34, 66, 67]. LCs are organic nanostructures usually in the
range of 2–6 nm, and like nanomaterials, LCs possess RO OR
unique properties that differ from those of either crystals RO OR
or liquids. Nanomaterial self-assembly has been intro- N
O OH
duced by several methods; however, using LCs as an RO OR N N
H
organizing medium to induce the self-assembly of NPs is N H N
a powerful tool. Due to the anisotropy of LCs, they pro- RO OR N N
vide very good support for the self-assembly of nano- OH O
N
materials into larger, organized structures in multiple RO OR
dimensions. Due to this strong link between nanoscience RTAQ: R =
RO OR
and LCs, a new term, “liquid crystal nanoscience”, has
Pc: R =
evolved [18, 23, 34]. Moreover, such nanomaterials do
not induce significant distortions of the LC phase. LCs act Fig. 2 Chemical structures of the columnar DLCs used to prepare
as tunable solvents for the dispersion of nanomaterials. various nanocomposites
Emerging nanoscience with discotic liquid crystals

Fig. 3 Normalized transmission

as a function of the input
fluence, calculated from open
aperture Z-scan measurements
done at a laser pulse energy of
15 µJ. a Reproduced with
permission from reference [54]
(Copyright (2016) Wiley-VCH).
b Temperature-dependent DC
conductivity measurements of
AgNP/HAT4 composites.
Reproduced with permission
from reference [36] (Copyright
(2017) Elsevier)

0-D Nanomaterials in discotics addition, the lattice parameter decreased in the 1 wt%
GNPs. Furthermore, UV spectroscopy revealed that dop-
Group XI metallic NPs in discotics ing with GNPs in DLCs reduced the bandgap (Eg) of the
system from 4.30 to 3.50 eV. This showed that the pre-
Our group examined the dispersion of group XI MNPs of Ag, sence of GNPs affected the forbidden energy gap of pure
Au, and Cu in various DLCs. The dispersion of MNPs in LCs HAT4, and the conductivity was enhanced by an order of
significantly influences the LCD-relevant characteristics, such two to four. The permittivity (ε′) of the composites also
as the response time, threshold voltage, dielectric behavior, increased in the 0.2 wt% GNPs at the IL-Colhp transitions
thermal conductivity, optical response, pretilt angle, and due to the randomness of the discs in the Colhp phase.
contrast ratio [71]. Furthermore, GNPs passivated with azobenzene-based
nematic LCs exhibited short-range thermal back relaxa-
Gold NPs in DLC We demonstrated the doping of tion and shorter switching time, enabling the deployment
alkanethiol-capped gold nanoparticles (GNPs) in DLC, of nanocomposites for optoelectronic devices [80, 81].
namely, HHTT, hexapentyloxytriphenylene (HPT or
HAT5), and hexakis(4-nonylphenylethynyl) [72], and Copper NPs in DLC We studied the effect of copper NPs
characterized them with small-angle X-ray scattering at a dispersion of 0.6 wt% on HAT4 DLC [52, 53]. SAXS
(SAXS), polarized optical microscopy (POM), and dif- results revealed that the hexagonal patterns and meso-
ferential scanning calorimetry (DSC). These composites morphic properties were retained, but a minor increase in
exhibited higher conductivity under doping with GNPs at the clearing temperature was observed. The ionic con-
a minimal concentration. A decrease in the orientational ductivity of the composites increased from 1.72 × 10−9 to
order parameter (S) and an increase in the relaxation time 0.83 × 10−7 S.m−1 and, the bandgap (Eg) changed from
for disc motion were observed [73]. These GNPs could be 4.2 to 3.3 eV. The optical study suggested that the surface
dispersed in lyotropic systems by sitting or self- plasmon resonance was introduced in the DLCs due to the
assembling in between columns [74]. Furthermore, the incorporation of Cu NPs. The dielectric permittivity also
GNPs could be functionalized with discotic molecules, increased.
which greatly increased the conductivity of the system
[74, 75]. The enhancement in the conductivity was Silver NPs in DLC We investigated the effect of the size of
attributed to the formation of charge-transfer complexes silver NPs on HAT4 DLCs [82]. The composites were
or chains of NPs in Au NP-dispersed DLCs [75, 76]. contained 0.6 wt.% NPs with sizes of 6 and 100 nm. The
We also studied the effect of GNPs on the optical, results revealed that the 6 nm AgNP dispersion in the
thermal, and dielectric properties [76–79]. We investi- DLC enhanced the ionic conductivity as well as the
gated the effect of colloidal GNPs in HAT4 DLC, which relative permittivity of the system through an observation
exhibited a hexagonal plastic columnar phase (Colhp) [78]. of the relaxation mode. The bandgap of HAT4 was
Different composites with GNPs of 0.2, 0.6, and 1.2 wt.% reduced from 4.2 to 3.3 eV, making it an ideal candidate
were prepared. The Colhp-isotropic transition temperature for a solar cell material. The mesomorphic and thermal
decreased with increasing GNP concentration in the DLC, properties of the DLC were unchanged with the dispersion
but the crystal-Colhp transition temperature was unaf- of AgNPs. The higher conductivity values were due to the
fected. This was due to the insertion of GNPs in columns better homeotropic alignment with small NPs than large
and domain boundaries affecting the core packing. In NPs. The 100 nm AgNP-DLC composite showed the
 M. Kumar et al.

Fig. 4 The DC conductivity values as a function of temperature for the QDs). Reproduced with permission from reference [105] (Copyright
undoped HAT4 (blue), 1% CdTe QDs/HAT4 (red), and 5% CdTe (2015) Royal Society of Chemistry). c Schematic illustration of the
QDs/HAT4 (black) nanocomposites. a Reproduced with permission self-assembly of QDs in a columnar matrix of discotic mesogens.
from reference [98] (Copyright (2015) Royal Society of Chemistry). b Reproduced with permission from reference [98] (Copyright (2015)
Frequency dependence of the total conductivity (s), curve (1) pure Royal Society of Chemistry)
RTAQ, (2) 0.5QDAQ, (3) 1QDAQ, and (4) 5QDAQ at 49.0 C (CdS

maximum dielectric strength, i.e., δεmax = 0.96 at 130 °C We demonstrated that selective doping of thiol-capped
compared to pure HAT4 with δεmax = 0.13 at 138 °C. AgNPs in room-temperature DLC 1,5-dihydroxy-2,3,6,7-
We investigated the effects of the dispersion of gold and tetrakis(3,7-dimethyloctyloxy)-9,10-anthraquinone (RTAQ)
silver NPs on a metal-free Pc DLC [54]. NPs with a size of and HAT4 can improved the molecular order, yielding better
2–4 nm were dispersed in Pc DLCs at 0.5 and 3 wt%. All the charge conduction in the composites [36]. A decrease in the
composites (MNPs-Pc) were liquid crystalline in nature. The lattice parameter (ahex) was observed in the nanocomposites.
doped composites cleared to an isotropic state at much lower The lattice parameter was reduced by 0.16 Å in HAT4, while
temperatures than the pure DLCs. In all the nanocomposites, in RTAQ, it was reduced by 1.58 Å, exhibiting an ordered
the isotropic temperature shifted to values lower than that of DLC structure. The undoped RTAQ showed an ahex value of
the undoped Pc. All the nanocomposites showed typical 24.02 Å, while in the 0.5% and 1% AgNPs/RTAQ compo-
Bragg diffractions of Pc-DLC with d spacing at the ratio of sites, this parameter decreased to 22.44 Å, suggesting a more
1:1/√3:1/√7:1/√9 assigned to the (100), (110), (210), and (300) ordered structure. The core–core separation in the nanocom-
reflections of a 2-D hexagonal lattice. The DC conductivity of posites was reduced to 3.35 Å compared to the 3.39 Å in
the undoped PC was on the order of 10–10 S.m−1 at room undoped the RTAQ. The conductivity of the HAT4 DLC was
temperature and 300 °C, with increases to 5.5 × 10−6 and enhanced by fourfold in the 3% AgNP-doped composites
1.35 × 10−5 S.m−1 for the 0.5% Au–Pc and 3% Au–Pc (Fig. 3b), and a σmes (mesophase conductivity) value of 6.26 ×
composites, respectively. This enrichment in the conductivity 10−6 S.m−1 was obtained. At higher concentrations, the
of the nanocomposites was corroborated by the formation of conductivity was reduced due to NP aggregation in the DLCs.
electron donor–acceptor interactions between electron-rich Pc We also investigated the effect of AgNPs on the ordering,
DLCs and MNPs that effectively translocated π-electrons alignment and relaxation mode of LCs in the smectic C*
from the discotic LCs to the NPs to the discotic LCs. For the phase in ferroelectric LC mixtures (FLC-W343) [86] and in
first time, we acquired the nonlinear optical transmissions of the nematic phase in 4-(trans-4-n-hexylcyclohexyl) isothio-
the composites (Fig. 3a). LCs have been actively investigated cyanatobenzoate (6CHBT) LCs [87]. Recently, we demon-
for their use in optical nonlinearity, optical limiters, and lenses strated the electro-optic switching properties of a rod-
[83–85], but no optical nonlinearities of nanocomposites of shaped nematic LC, 4-trans-pentyl-cyclohexyl cyanoben-
LCs have been reported. The optical limiting threshold of the zene (5PCH) with AgNP doping [88, 89]. The results
3% Au/PC composites was 0.82 × 104 J/m2, compared to the emphasized that the threshold voltage (Vth) decreased by
0.98 × 104 J/m2 of the undoped PC. The reverse saturation 12.7% for the 0.05 wt.% 5PCH-AgNP nanocomposites
absorption coefficient (β) was 5 × 10−10 m/W in the 3% Au/ compared to that of the pure 5PCH. In addition, the slope of
PC composites, compared to the 1.65 × 10−10 m/W of the the V–T graph increased by ~230% for the 0.025 wt.%
pure PC. The enhanced conductivity and NLO properties of AgNP-doped 5PCH compared to that of the pure 5PCH.
MNP-doped Pc-DLC make it a potential candidate for Such composites with an enhanced slope are useful for
optoelectronics and photonics applications. multiplexed displays with relatively fast response times.
Emerging nanoscience with discotic liquid crystals

QDs in discotics Graphene NPs in discotics

Semiconductor QDs such as CdSe and CdTe have recently A large number of DLCs are derived from polycyclic
been extensively studied due to their novel fundamental aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), such as benzene, cor-
and size-dependent properties, photostability, and emis- onene, and triphenylene [29]. Graphene is considered the
sion tunability [90] and used for applications in sensors, largest PAH. The supramolecular chemistry between
life sciences, photovoltaics, optoelectronics, and biologi- graphene and LCs is termed “chemistry beyond the
cal imaging [91–96]. We studied the effect of molecule” [70]. However, the investigation of the use of
octadecylamine-capped CdSe and CdTe QDs in HAT4 graphene and its functionalized counterparts (NPs, sheets)
DLC [97, 98], nematic LCs [99–101], and ferroelectric in discotic LCs is quite challenging. In 2015, we
LCs [102–104]. The dispersion of CdSe QDs in H4TP demonstrated the stacking of octadecylamine edge func-
[97] and CdTe QDs in HAT4 [98] varied from 1% to 5%. tionalized ultrathin graphene NPs (f-rGONPs) onto the
In both the composites with CdSe and those with CdTe supramolecular order of a triphenylene-based DLC [106].
QDs, the POM texture was similar to that of pure HAT4. The synthesized f-rGONPs were in the thickness range of
DSC and SAXS studies revealed that the QD dispersion 0.8–2 nm, corresponding to 1–2 graphene layers and
did not greatly affect the clearing temperature and 55–85 nm in size, making them an ideal candidate for self-
columnar hexagonal phase. A slight change in the lower assembly into 1-D wire-like structures of DLCs. The f-
clearing temperature at all concentrations and core–core rGONPs (1 wt.%) self-assembled with two DLCs, namely,
separation increment was observed. For both CdSe and HAT4 and HAT5, to hybridize their properties. The POM
CdTe QD doping, the conductivity was enhanced from the results showed no significant changes, and DSC revealed
order of four to five. The conductivity reached the highest a slight increase in the melting temperature of f-rGONP/
value of 10−3 to 10−4 S.m−1 in the CdTe/HAT4 nano- HAT5, which was possibly due to the insertion of f-
composites [98] (Fig. 4a), and similar results were rGONPs between the aromatic cores, increasing the order
obtained for CdSe QDs [97]. This enhancement to the and compactness in the core–core separation as verified in
conductivity was attributed to the formation of the SAXS studies. However, in the 1% f-rGONP/HAT4
donor–acceptor type of interaction between the HAT4 and composite, minor decreases in the melting and isotropic
QDs, where efficient translocation of the π-electron temperature were observed. As HAT4 possesses a Colhp
occurred (Fig. 4c). phase, which is more ordered than the Colh phase in
We investigated the effects of 0.5%, 1%, and 5% wt.% HAT5, the order of the Colhp phase of HAT4 may be
CdSe QDs on room-temperature DLC RTAQ to determine slightly reduced upon GONP doping. The core–core
the impact of QD dispersion on the DC conductivity, self- spacing in the composites was reduced to 3.54 Å com-
assembly, and dielectric properties [105]. The POM tex- pared to the 3.61 Å of the undoped HAT5, reflecting a
ture revealed the dark texture of the pure RTAQ, showing dense packing of discotics in the nanocomposites. The DC
homeotropic alignment to the columns on the glass sub- conductivity 10−4 S.m−1 of the composites was enhanced
strate. The dark texture resulted in a decrease in dis- by an order two to four compared to that of the HAT4/
clinations upon the addition of QDs, which helped the HAT5. The enhancement in the conductivity was ascribed
columns align homeotropically. DSC revealed a slight to the more ordered arrangement of f-rGONPs and DLCs
change to the clearing temperature. The DC temperature- and the faster charge migration from graphene-DLC-
based conductivity of the QD-doped DLC significantly graphene-DLC. The f-GONPs were inserted between the
shifted. The enhancement of the conductivity of the 0.5% discotic cores and assembled a bridge-like pathway for the
QD-DLC was on the order of five due to the ordered faster conduction of π-electrons from a core to a GONP
arrangement of the discotic molecules. The QDs acted as a and to a core, which enhanced the charge carrier mobility
conductive filler, which formed a bridge along with the through a hole hopping and electron tunneling mechanism
columns and enhanced the conductivity. The temperature- between the localized sites involving both the f-rGONPs
dependent permittivity in the isotropic phase improved and discotic aromatic cores. The ordered supramolecular
when the QD concentration increased due to the addi- structure was achieved by forming a bridge of DLC-f-
tional contribution of the dipole moment by the QDs. The rGONP-DLC through self-organization. The presence of
critical frequencies of the composites, viz., 0.5QDAQ, the f-rGONP was confirmed by FE-SEM studies.
1QDAQ, and 5QDAQ, were 236.07, 137.54, and 42.23
kHz, respectively, which were higher than that for the Carbon dots (C-dots) in discotics
pure material (6.6 kHz) (Fig. 4b). This indicated that the
QDs extended the long-range hopping to a broader Recently, we reported the self-assembly of C-dots in HAT4
frequency range. DLCs [107]. The POM textures of the composites were
 M. Kumar et al.

Fig. 5 SEM images of randomly oriented fibers of HPT (a), fibers longitudinal axis parallel to the length of the ribbon. Reproduced with
formed by 1% GNR-HPT (b), and dark-field STEM images of gold permission from reference [112] (Copyright (2013) Royal Society of
nanorods embedded in HPT nanoribbons (c). The bright spots in the Chemistry)
fibers are the gold nanorods embedded in the ribbon, with their

(a) (c)

(b) (d) (e)

TP6 Nanoribbons
(dark regions)

CdS Nanowires embedded TP6

Nanoribbons (bright regions)

Fig. 6 Cryo-SEM image of CdS nanowire trapping in triphenylene. a, magnification). d Schematics of lyotropic lamellar liquid crystals of
b Schematic illustration of trapping of CdS nanowires in nanoribbons CdS nanoribbons. Reproduced with permission from reference [110]
of triphenylene. Reproduced with permission from reference [109] (Copyright (2018) Elsevier). e SAXS pattern of 3 wt.% AgNDs/
(Copyright (2015) Elsevier). c Polarized optical microscope images of RTAQ, showing the hexagonal packing and the decrease in lattice the
(a) CdS-50_30, (b) CdS-50_50, (c) CdS-60_30, (d) CdS-60_50, (e) parameter (at 40 °C). Reproduced with permission from reference [35]
CdS-70_30, and (f) CdS-70_50 (crossed polarizers, 50× (Copyright (2017) Elsevier)

analogous to those of the parent HAT4 LCs. In addition, a columnar phase. The electrical conductivity increased by an
varying domain size was observed that evinced a slight order of 103, exhibiting the excellent change transport
modification in the columnar ordering that did not change properties of such nanocomposites, which make them an
the geometric structure of the phase. TOF measurements ideal candidate for optoelectronics.
revealed that the hole mobility in HAT4 was 1.2 × 10−2 cm2
V−1 s−1, independent of temperature within the range of the 1-D nanostructures in discotics
Colh phase, but in the HAT4/C-dot composites, the hole
mobility decreased and varied from 0.16 × 10−2 to 0.83 × 1-D gold NRs in discotics
10−2 cm2 V−1 s−1. This reduction in charge carrier mobility
was related to the interfering character of the sp2 surface We investigated the formation of nanoribbons of
states of C-dots and due to a reduction in the ordering of the undoped and GNR-doped triphenylene DLC via a
Emerging nanoscience with discotic liquid crystals

Fig. 7 Cryo-SEM image of a octadecylamine-functionalized graphene functionalized graphene DLC composites, d 1% HDT-GO/AQ, e 1%
DLC composites showing a layered structure and b an enlarged por- TP-GO/AQ, f 5% HDT-GO/AQ, and g 5% TP-GO/AQ. h, i Sche-
tion of a showing graphene layers covered by a layer of discotics. c matics of the HDT and TP-GO/AQ nanocomposites. Reproduced with
Schematics of self-assembly. Reproduced with permission from permission from reference [111] (Copyright (2015) Royal Society of
reference [55] (Copyright (2014) Royal Society of Chemistry). Thiol- Chemistry)

solution of HPT or HPT-GNR composites in chloroform Cadmium sulfide (CdS) NWs in discotic nanoribbons
and treatment with methanol. The GNRs self-assembled
along the axis of columns, which was characterized by In 2017, we demonstrated the self-assembly of CdS semi-
scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). A conductor NWs into a supramolecular network to usher in a
STEM image of the 5% GNR-DLC composite demon- new era of nanoelectronics [109]. CdS NWs of different
strated the parallel self-assembly of the GNRs along the aspect ratios were synthesized and doped in HAT6 at 0.5 and
parallel axis of the TP NWs (Fig. 5a–c). The nano- 1 wt.% doping concentrations (0.5CdS-70/HAT6 and 1CdS-
composites exhibited significantly higher conductivity. 70/HAT6). The POM textures were similar to those of the
The conductivity of the GNR-doped DLC was three to parent HAT6 discotics. In chloroform, HAT6 starts aggre-
four orders higher than that of the original DLC. This was gating to form ribbon-like structures, and in this process, the
due to the formation of ribbon-like DLC molecules that CdS NWs become trapped in the HAT6 ribbons. Cryo-SEM
self-assembled into columns and hexagonal structures investigation exhibited the trapping of CdS NWs in HAT6
that transport unidirectional charge. These structures can nanoribbons (Fig. 6a, b). The CdS NWs self-assembled in a
be used as new materials for devices such as OFETs. micrometer array of triphenylene nanoribbons. Furthermore,
Similar studies on the self-assembly of these GNR-DLC DC conductivity studies showed that the composites exhibited
composites were also conducted by several other groups. 3–4 orders of magnitude higher conductivity. The DC con-
Similar studies were reported by Hegmann and cow- ductivity values were increased to values of 1.4 × 10−7 S.m−1
orkers [108]. in the mesophase and 1 × 10−6 S.m−1 in the isotropic phase in
 M. Kumar et al.

0-D Nanoparticles/QDs Discotic capped gold NPs Graphene Sheets

CdS Nanowires

Gold Nanorods (GNRs)

TP6 Nanoribbons
(dark regions)

CdS Nanowires embedded TP6

Nanoribbons (bright regions)

Graphene Sheets Ag nanodisks

Fig. 8 A summary of the schematics of all the discotic liquid crys- graphene sheets, and Ag nanodisks. Reproduced with permission from
talline nanocomposites of various nanostructures, such as nano- reference [35, 55, 75, 109, 111, 112]
particles, QDs, graphene NPs, CNTs, gold nanorods, CdS nanowires,

the 1CdS-70/HAT6 composites compared to the 1 × 10−11 S. the self-assembling properties of DLCs. Concentrations of
m−1 of the HAT6. Such composites can be employed for the 1–5 wt% f-GO were used. POM studies revealed a classical
fabrication of sensors and OFETs. texture of the columnar mesophase at room temperature in all
the composites. In the octadecylamine f-GO DLC composite,
Lyotropic LCs of CdS nanoribbons named GrAQ, the f-graphene stabilized the discotic meso-
phase due to the improvement in the local ordering of discotic
We studied the formation of lyotropic LCs in CdS NWs on the surface of f-graphene by π–π* stacking between the
[110]. Different aspect ratios of CdS NWs were used to aromatic cores, which was further characterized and sup-
form lyotropic LCs. The LCs were formed in cyclohexane ported by DSC and cryo-SEM studies. The parent RTAQ
solvent. The POM textures revealed the formation of the LC showed a clearing peak at 115.6 °C, but in the 1% and 5%
phase in the composites, demonstrating oily streaks, a composites, this peak was increased to 117.3 and 116.7 °C,
characteristic typical of lyotropic LCs (Fig. 6c, d). The indicating that the doping of the f-graphene stabilized the
loading concentrations for the formation of LCs were 30% discotic mesophase. In the cryo-SEM studies of the compo-
and 50%; at lower concentrations (25%), LC formation was sites, a clear sandwich-like layered structure without phase
not observed. The SAXS pattern of 1:1/2:1/3 exhibited the segregation could be seen (Fig. 7a, b). The system forms a
lamellar ordering of the CdS nanoribbons in the lyotropic “pillar-roof” molecular arrangement, where graphene acts as
phase. A schematic of the lamellar self-assembly of CdS the roof and DLC as the pillars (Fig. 7c). The doped com-
nanoribbons is shown in Fig. 6d. posites showed enhancement in the conductivity of the system
due to the formation of bridges across defects and more
2-D nanostructures in discotics ordered mesophases. The pure RTAQ sample showed a
conductivity of 3.43 × 10−8 S.m−1 at 41 °C, while the 1%
Functionalized 2-D graphene sheets in discotics GrAQ showed a conductivity of 6.8 × 10−5 S.m−1 and the 5%
GrAQ composites showed a conductivity of 1.9 × 10−4 S.m−1
We subsequently designed and functionalized both the edges at 41 °C.
[55] and surfaces [111] of graphene sheets (f-GO) with The thiolated graphene with HDT and TP DLC compo-
octadecylamine and thiol (hexadecane thiol (HDT) and thio- sites (GO/AQ) showed much lower clearing temperatures
phenol (TP)) to compare the effects of functionalization on [111]. The 1HDT-GO/AQ composite melted at 80.1 °C, the
Emerging nanoscience with discotic liquid crystals

5HDT-GO/AQ composite melted at 82.4 °C, the 1TP-GO/ Au, Cu NPs, graphene, CdSe, CdTe QDs, CdS NWs, gold
AQ composite melted at 72.2 °C, and the 5TP-GO/AQ NRs, and CNTs, have been used to improve LC properties,
composite melted at 73.6 °C. This decrease in the isotropic possible improvements to various surface modifications of
transition temperatures of the composites pointed towards a nanostructures and the development of LCs and nano-
disordered mesophase in the composites. The DSC results composites of LCs are systematically required. Very few
revealed that the enthalpy transition was due to dis- application-based studies have been performed on such
organization in the mesophase due to thiolated graphene. nanocomposites, which can be further studied for their use
The groups present at the thiolated surface destabilized the in OLEDs, OFETs, OPVs, elastomers, sensors, and so forth.
interaction between the GO and alkyl chains of the RTAQ. This field is ideal for multidisciplinary research given the
The cryo-SEM results for both the hexadecane and TP significant developments in chemistry, physics, and supra-
composites showed a layered structure that was absent in molecular chemistry in organic electronics.
the RTAQ (Fig. 7d–g). Models based on the cryo-SEM
results are presented in Fig. 7h, i. Acknowledgements We would like to thank our collaborators, whose
work was presented by us in this review.

2-D silver nanodisks in discotics

Compliance with ethical standards
For the first time, our group focused on 2-D silver nanodisk
Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of
(AgND) dispersions in DLCs and reported a “disk-in- interest.
discotic”-like self-assembly [35]. The motive behind this
study was to investigate how a 2-D metallic structure with a Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to
disc shape self-assembles in a disc-shaped LC. The AgNDs jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
were chemically synthesized with 1-hexanethiol capping, a
thickness of 10–12 nm and a diameter of 30–35 nm, exhi-
biting a 2-D nanomaterial structure. AgNDs were doped in References
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mode and Freedericksz transition in planar nematic liquid crystal nanoparticle on the elastic constants and ionic transport of a
cells doped with gold nanoclusters. Adv Funct Mater. 2008;18: nematic liquid crystal. Liq Cryst. 2019;46:1868–76.
212–21. 90. Thuy UTD, Toan PS, Chi TTK, Khang DD, Liem NQ. CdTe
72. Kumar S, Lakshminarayanan V. Inclusion of gold nanoparticles quantum dots for an application in the life sciences. Adc Nat Sci-
into a discotic liquid crystalline matrix. Chem Commun. 2004: Nanosci. 2011;1:045009.
1600–1. 91. Chan WC, Nie S. Quantum dot bioconjugates for ultrasensitive
73. Supreet, Pratibha R, Kumar S, Raina K. Effect of dispersion of nonisotopic detection. Science. 1998;281:2016–8.
gold nanoparticles on the optical and electrical properties of 92. Nguyen TH, Ung TDT, Vu TH, Tran TKC, Dinh DK, Nguyen
discotic liquid crystal. Liq Cryst. 2014;41:933–9. QL. Fluorescence biosensor based on CdTe quantum dots for
74. Kumar PS, Pal SK, Kumar S, Lakshminarayanan V. Dispersion specific detection of H5N1 avian influenza virus. Adc Nat Sci-
of thiol stabilized gold nanoparticles in lyotropic liquid crystal- Nanosci. 2012;3:035014.
line systems. Langmuir. 2007;23:3445–9. 93. Kershaw SV, Harrison M, Rogach AL, Kornowski A. Devel-
75. Kumar S, Pal SK, Kumar PS, Lakshminarayanan V. Novel opment of IR-emitting colloidal II-VI quantum-dot materials.
conducting nanocomposites: synthesis of triphenylene-covered IEEE J Sel Top Quantum Electron. 2000;6:534–43.
gold nanoparticles and their insertion into a columnar matrix. 94. Talapin DV, Rogach AL, Shevchenko EV, Kornowski A, Haase
Soft Matter. 2007;3:896–900. M, Weller H. Dynamic distribution of growth rates within the
76. Mishra M, Kumar S, Dhar R. Effect of high concentration of ensembles of colloidal II−VI and III−V semiconductor nano-
colloidal gold nanoparticles on the thermodynamic, optical, and crystals as a factor governing their photoluminescence efficiency.
electrical properties of 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11-hexabutyloxytryphenylene J Am Chem Soc. 2002;124:5782–90.
discotic liquid crystalline material. Soft Mater. 2017;15:34–44. 95. Murray C, Norris DJ, Bawendi MG. Synthesis and character-
77. Mishra M, Kumar S, Dhar R. Effect of dispersed colloidal gold ization of nearly monodisperse CdE (E= sulfur, selenium, tell-
nanoparticles on the electrical properties of a columnar discotic urium) semiconductor nanocrystallites. J Am Chem Soc.
liquid crystal. RSC Adv. 2014;4:62404–12. 1993;115:8706–15.
 M. Kumar et al.

96. Selinsky RS, Ding Q, Faber MS, Wright JC, Jin S. Quantum dot 105. Yadav N, Kumar S, Dhar R. Cadmium selenide quantum dots
nanoscale heterostructures for solar energy conversion. Chem for the amelioration of the properties of a room temperature
Soc Rev. 2013;42:2963–85. discotic liquid crystalline material. RSC Adv. 2015;5:
97. Kumar S, Sagar LK. CdSe quantum dots in a columnar matrix. 78823–32.
Chem Commun. 2011;47:12182–4. 106. Kumar M, Kumar S. Stacking of ultra-thin reduced graphene
98. Kumar M, Kumar S. Luminescent CdTe quantum dots incar- oxide nanoparticles in supramolecular structures for optoelec-
cerated in a columnar matrix of discotic liquid crystals for tronic applications. RSC Adv. 2015;5:14871–8.
optoelectronic applications. RSC Adv. 2015;5:1262–7. 107. Mahesh P, Shah A, Swamynathan K, Singh DP, Douali R,
99. Gupta SK, Singh DP, Manohar R, Kumar S. Tuning phase Kumar S. Carbon dots dispersed hexabutyloxytriphenylene dis-
retardation behaviour of nematic liquid crystal using quantum cotic mesogens: structural, morphological and charge transport
dot. Curr Appl Phys. 2016;16:79–82. behavior. J Mater Chem C. 2020;8:9252–61.
100. Singh U, Pandey M, Dhar R, Verma R, Kumar S. Effect of dis- 108. Feng X, Sosa-Vargas L, Umadevi S, Mori T, Shimizu Y, Heg-
persion of CdSe quantum dots on phase transition, electrical and mann T. Discotic liquid crystal-functionalized gold nanorods: 2-
electro-optical properties of 4PP4OB. Liq Cryst. 2016;43:1075–82. and 3D self-assembly and macroscopic alignment as well as
101. Singh U, Singh D, Kumar S, Dhar R, Pandey M. The optical increased charge carrier mobility in hexagonal columnar liquid
properties of quantum dots in anisotropic media. J Mol Liq. crystal hosts affected by molecular packing and π–π interactions.
2017;241:1009–12. Adv Funct Mater. 2015;25:1180–92.
102. Singh D, Pandey S, Manohar R, Kumar S, Pujar G, Inamdar S. 109. Shivanandareddy AB, Kumar M, Gowda A, Kumar S. Trapping
Time-resolved fluorescence and absence of Förster resonance of inorganic nanowires in supramolecular organic nanoribbons. J
energy transfer in ferroelectric liquid crystal-quantum dots Mol Liq. 2017;244:1–6.
composites. J Lumin. 2017;190:161–70. 110. Shivanandareddy AB, Kumar M, Kumar S. Lyotropic liquid
103. Pandey S, Singh DP, Agrahari K, Srivastava A, Czerwinski M, crystals of CdS nanoribbons. J Mol Liq. 2018;264:352–7.
Kumar S, et al. CdTe quantum dot dispersed ferroelectric liquid 111. Shivanandareddy AB, Kumar M, Lakshminarayanan V, Kumar
crystal: transient memory with faster optical response and S. Self-assembly of thiolated graphene oxide onto a gold surface
quenching of photoluminescence. J Mol Liq. 2017;237:71–80. and in the supramolecular order of discotic liquid crystals. RSC
104. Singh DP, Boussoualem Y, Duponchel B, Sahraoui AH, Kumar Adv. 2015;5:47692–47700.
S, Manohar R, et al. Pico-ampere current sensitivity and CdSe 112. Avinash B, Lakshminarayanan V, Kumar S, Vij J. Gold nanor-
quantum dots assembly assisted charge transport in ferroelectric ods embedded discotic nanoribbons. Chem Commun. 2013;49:
liquid crystal. J Phys D Appl Phys. 2017;50:325301. 978–80.

Dr. Manish Kumar was born in Jerathi, India in 1989. He obtained his Ph.D. in Engineering Physics from University of
Aveiro, Portugal. Earlier, he was a Marie Curie Sklodowska fellow at CENTI, Portugal. During 2014–16, he worked in
Prof. Sandeep Kumar’s research group at Raman Research Institute, India. He received his MTech in Nanotechnology
from Amity University, Noida, India in 2014. His major interests are perovskites, quantum dots synthesis, spectroscopic
analysis of nanomaterials, fabrication of OLEDs, solar cells, photodetectors, optoelectronic devices based on liquid
crystals, synthesis and characterization of novel functional liquid crystalline nanocomposites. He has published about 30
research papers in peer-reviewed international journals and two book chapters.

Shalaka Varshney was born in Uttar Pradesh, India, in 1993. Currently, she is a Ph.D. student at the Department of
Chemical Sciences, Ariel University, Israel. She received her Dual Degree B.Tech. and M.Tech. in Nanotechnology from
the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India, in 2016. During 2015–16, she worked in Prof. Sandeep Kumar’s research group
at Raman Research Institute, India, on the synthesis and characterization of different dimensional nanomaterial composites
with discotic liquid crystals. Her primary interests include metallic nanoparticles, bimetallic nanoparticles, and dimensional
nanomaterials synthesis, their self-assembly in discotic liquid crystals, their catalyzed reduction reactions, and hydrogen
evolution reaction for applications in catalysis.
Emerging nanoscience with discotic liquid crystals

Prof. Sandeep Kumar obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry-Medicinal Chemistry from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, in
1986. He was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel; Technion, Israel Institute of
Technology, Haifa, Israel; the Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA and the University of Mainz, Mainz,
Germany during 1988–1995. He joined the Centre for Liquid Crystal Research, Bangalore, India, to start a new Chemistry
laboratory in 1995. In 2002, he moved to the Raman Research Institute, Bangalore, India, from where he retired in
November 2019 and joined as Professor, Department of Chemistry, Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology, Bangalore.
He was a visiting Research Professor at the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington DC, USA, during 1999–2000 and
the National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, Taiwan during 2008, and E.T.S. Walton Visiting Professor at the Trinity
College, Dublin during 2012–2013. He has published about 300 research papers in peer-reviewed international journals.
He also authored two books and several book chapters. He is also having many patents to his credit. He was awarded the
inaugural LG Philips Display Mid-Career Award by the International Liquid Crystal Society in 2008. His current research
interests include design, synthesis, and applications of liquid crystals, green chemistry, and nanotechnology.