Macroscopic chirality of a liquid crystal from nonchiral molecules - art. no. 061710

The transfer of chirality from nonchiral polymer networks to the racemic B2 phase of nonchiral banana-shaped molecules is demonstrated. This correspon ds to the transfer of chirality from an achiral material to another achiral material. There are two levels of chirality transfers. (a) On a microscopi c level the presence of a polymer network (chiral or nonchiral) favors a ch iral state over a thermodynamically stable racemic state due to the inversi on symmetry breaking at the polymer-liquid crystal interfaces. (b) A macros copically chiral (enantimerically enriched) sample can be produced if the p olymer network has a helical structure, and/or contains chemically chiral g roups. The chirality transfer can be locally suppressed by exposing the liq uid crystal to a strong electric field treatment.