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Printing of the Next Generation of Sustainable Plastic Optics Across Multiple Dimensions and Industries

The Prévôt Lab is a multidisciplinary lab that investigates the feasibility and practicality of biodegradable, eco-friendly, emissive bio-plastic components for various optical applications in medicine, sensing, and information. Our research articulates around the functionalization of nanomaterials and polymer materials with liquid crystal moieties, as well as the exploration of the impact of nanomaterials and polymer materials on liquid crystal matrices.

1. Emissive functional liquid crystal devices

This research focuses on understanding the efficiency of chirality transfer (also called amplification) across length scales, with the objective of controlling it for the next generation of products in polarized optics. We design circularly polarized emissive materials with tunable properties, actuatable through various stimuli such as heat, light, electric and magnetic fields.

We utilize a liquid crystal strategy to design ultra-efficient circularly polarized luminescent devices with unique and enhanced specifications. These devices can be envisioned as chiroptical probes and provide higher sensitivity and resolution in chemical and biological optical sensing. They can also be used as chiroptical switches for encrypted integrated logic devices with higher storage density and security. These optical elements feature high accuracy with low cost through rapid prototyping. The long-term goal of this research is to progress its practical relevance from a static element to a dynamic optical device which allows it to advance to real-world applications of the “smart” materials.

2. Zero-power liquid crystal-based sensors

The main objective of this project is to develop diverse production approaches to deploy zero-power, highly customizable, lightweight, and low-cost sensors that can detect and monitor acute and chronic exposures to a multitude of toxic gases. The key goals are to develop sensors that provide: (i) high sensor responsivity; (ii) high sensor sensitivity and selectivity; (iii) stability in time. The portable, mountable, zero-power gas detectors are capable of detecting a variety of toxic gases within the same platform with significantly improved specificity and selectivity. The sensor functionality will dramatically assist in providing a faster assessment of a hazardous environment. The research will ultimately participate in creating a safe environment for the defense personnel and first responders.

We are always on the lookout for interested and motivated graduate and undergraduate students to join our team.

Selected Publications

B. Sezgin, J. Liu, D.P.N. Gonçalves, C. Zhu, T. Tilki, M.E. Prévôt*, T. Hegmann*, "Controlling Structure and Morphology of Organic Nanofilaments using External Stimuli", ACS Nanoscience Au. 2023, 3, 295-309.

M.E. Prévôt, S. Ustunel, G. Freychet, C.R. Webb, M. Zhernenkov, R. Pindak, R.J. Clements, E. Hegmann, "Physical models from physical templates using biocompatible liquid crystal elastomers as morphologically programmable inks for 3D printing", Macromol. Biosci., 2023, 23, 2200343.

J. Liu, Y. Molard, M.E. Prévôt*, T. Hegmann*, "Highly Tunable Circularly Polarized Emission of an Aggregation-Induced Emission Dye Using Helical Nano- and Microfilaments as Supramolecular Chiral Templates", ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2022, 14, 25, 29398.

M.E. Prévôt, S. Ustunel, B. Yavitt, G. Freychet, C.R. Webb, M. Zhernenkov, E. Hegmann, and R. Pindak "Synchrotron Microbeam Diffraction Studies on the Alignment within 3D-Printed Smectic-A Liquid Crystal Elastomer Filaments during Extrusion", Crystals, 2021, 11, 5, 523.

J. Liu, S. Shadpour, M.E. Prévôt, M. Chirgwin, A. Nemati, E. Hegmann, R.P. Lemieux, and T. Hegmann, "Molecular Conformation of Bent-Core Molecules Affected by Chiral Side Chains Dictates Polymorphism and Chirality in Organic Nano- and Microfilaments", ACS Nano, 2021, 15, 4, 7249.

M.E. Prévôt, A. Nemati, T.R. Cull, E. Hegmann, and T. Hegmann, "A Zero-Power Optical, ppt- to ppm-Level Toxic Gas and Vapor Sensor with Image, Text, and Analytical Capabilities", Adv. Mater. Technol., 2020, 2000058.

S. Shadpour, A. Nemati, M. Salamończyk, M.E. Prévôt, J. Liu, N.J. Boyd, M. R. Wilson, C. Zhu, E. Hegmann, A.I. Jákli, and T. Hegmann, "Missing Link between Helical Nano-and Microfilaments in B4 Phase Bent-Core Liquid Crystals, and Deciphering which Chiral Center Controls the Filament Handedness", Small, 2020, 16, 1905591.

S. Shadpour, A. Nemati, N. J. Boyd, L. Li, M.E. Prévôt, S. L. Wakerlin, J.P. Vanegas, M. Salamończyk, E. Hegmann, C. Zhu, M.R. Wilson, A.I. Jákli, and T. Hegmann, "Heliconical-layered nanocylinders (HLNCs) – hierarchical self-assembly in a unique B4 phase liquid crystal morphology", Mater. Horizons, 2019, 6, 959.

M.E. Prévôt, H. Andro, S.L.M. Alexander, S. Ustunel, C. Zhu, S.T. Rafferty, C. Zhu, M.T. Brannum, L.T.J. Korley, E.J. Freeman, J.A. McDonough, R.J. Clements, and E. Hegmann, "Liquid crystal elastomer foams with elastic properties specifically engineered as biodegradable brain tissue scaffolds", Soft Matter, 2018, 14, 354.

M. Prévôt, M. Amela-Cortes, S.K. Manna, R. Lefort, S. Cordier, H. Folliot, L. Dupont, Y. Molard, "Design and integration in electro-optic devices of highly efficient and robust red NIR phosphorescent nematic hybrid liquid crystals containing [Mo6I8(OCOCnF2n+1)6]2- (n = 1, 2, 3) nanoclusters", Adv. Funct. Mater., 2015, 25, 4966.

S.M. Wood, M. Prévôt, M. Amela-Cortes, S. Cordier, S.J. Elston, Y. Molard, S.M. Morris, "Polarized phosphorescence of isotropic and metal-based clustomesogens dispersed into chiral nematic liquid crystalline films", Adv. Opt. Mater., 2015, 3, 1368.

M. Prévôt, M. Amela-Cortes, S. K. Manna, S. Cordier, T. Roisnel, H. Folliot, L. Dupont, Y. Molard, "Electroswitchable Red-NIR luminescence of ionic clustomesogen containing nematic liquid crystalline devices", J. Mater. Chem. C, 2015, 3, 5111.

C. Neaime, M. Prévôt, M. Amela Cortes, V. Cîrcu, F. Grasset, H. Folliot, Y. Molard, "Voltage driven photoluminescence modulation of hybrid nanomaterial containing liquid crystalline hybridized ZnO nanoparticles", Chem. Eur. J., 2014, 20, 13770.