Liquid crystalline networks and liquid crystals Lab

Description:
The liquid crystalline networks and liquid crystals laboratory is a multidisciplinary laboratory dedicated to research and development of bioinspired products, concepts and ideas.

This laboratory has three distinct areas dedicated to the synthesis of liquid crystals and liquid crystal polymers mainly derived from cellulose derivatives, its processing to obtained films, networks and meshes and its optical and mechanical characterization.
In the synthesis area our laboratory is equipped with the appropriated glassware and small equipment as mantles, magnetic and mechanical stirrers, centrifuges, and also enables the synthesis of nanoparticles. To process the liquid crystalline material the laboratory is equipped with an electrospinning system, an automatic film applicator a spin coater and several ovens and furnaces. In the third area the laboratory has the means to characterize the produced materials by mechanical testing (1 to 10 cm scale samples), polarized optical microscopy and wettability measurements.