INS3-1644
Direct alignment of liquid-crystalline polymer films by scanning wave photopolymerization
Topic
S3. Processing / Fabrications (Emerging Horizons in Polymer Processing and Fabrication)
When and Where
Oct 1, 2026
10:20 - 10:45
Room 104
Session Chairs
Hyomin LEE
Presenter(s)
Atsushi Shishido (Institute of Science Tokyo)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
The precise alignment control of polymer main chains and liquid crystals (LCs) is effective for fabricating high-performance functional coatings. Conventionally, polymer chain alignment is regulated by mechanical stretching or flow fields; however, these approaches are inherently limited to one-dimensional alignment. Our recent discovery demonstrates that spatiotemporal photopolymerization using scanning light generates flow fields, a process termed scanning wave photopolymerization (SWaP). In this study, we explored the potential of SWaP for achieving precise microscale control over polymer main chain alignment. One-dimensional scanning of light induced uniaxial alignment of both polymer main chains and side-chain LC molecules. Thermal analysis of the resulting coating revealed that the high degree of polymer main-chain alignment in the coating recovered its original LC alignment upon cooling after thermal disordering, demonstrating excellent thermal stability. By designing the shape of the light, we successfully achieved two-dimensional alignment of polymer main chains at the microscale. This approach represents a fundamental technology for the development of functional materials through direct molecular alignment control.
[1] K. Hisano, A. Shishido, et al., Sci. Adv. 2017, 3, e1701610.
[2] M. Ishizu, A. Shishido, et al., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2022, 14, 48143−48149.
[3] S. Hashimoto, A. Shishido, et al., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2023, 15, 14760−14767.
[4] T. Ishiyama, A. Shishido, et al., Macromolecules 2024, 57, 7430−7438.
[5] H. Nakamura, A. Shishido, et al., Langmuir 2025, 41, 10552–10561.
[6] T. Ishiyama, A. Shishido, et al., Liq. Cryst. Rev. 2026, 14, 25–42.
[1] K. Hisano, A. Shishido, et al., Sci. Adv. 2017, 3, e1701610.
[2] M. Ishizu, A. Shishido, et al., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2022, 14, 48143−48149.
[3] S. Hashimoto, A. Shishido, et al., ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2023, 15, 14760−14767.
[4] T. Ishiyama, A. Shishido, et al., Macromolecules 2024, 57, 7430−7438.
[5] H. Nakamura, A. Shishido, et al., Langmuir 2025, 41, 10552–10561.
[6] T. Ishiyama, A. Shishido, et al., Liq. Cryst. Rev. 2026, 14, 25–42.
