US 12,392,758 B2
Monitoring catalytic chemical reactions using liquid crystals
Emmanouil Mavrikakis, Middleton, WI (US); Jake Gold, Houston, TX (US); Trenton Wolter, North St. Paul, MN (US); Nicholas Abbott, Lansing, NY (US); Nanqi Bao, Ithaca, NY (US); Huaizhe Yu, Ithaca, NY (US); and Ayushi Tripathi, Ithaca, NY (US)
Assigned to Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Madison, WI (US); and Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (US)
Filed by Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Madison, WI (US); and Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (US)
Filed on Nov. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/530,692.
Prior Publication US 2023/0160866 A1, May 25, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 31/10 (2006.01); B01J 19/00 (2006.01); B01J 19/24 (2006.01); C09K 19/12 (2006.01); C09K 19/04 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 31/10 (2013.01) [B01J 19/0006 (2013.01); B01J 19/24 (2013.01); C09K 19/12 (2013.01); B01J 2219/00186 (2013.01); C09K 2019/0437 (2013.01); C09K 2019/122 (2013.01); C09K 2019/123 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for monitoring a catalytic chemical reaction, the method comprising:
(a) exposing a solid surface to conditions to induce a chemical reaction of reactants at an interface formed between the solid surface and a liquid crystal, wherein the solid surface catalyzes the chemical reaction and the liquid crystal is characterized by an anchoring orientation that changes during the chemical reaction, wherein the reactants comprise a reactant species that is a reactive moiety of a mesogen of the liquid crystal; and
(b) measuring the anchoring orientation of the liquid crystal at one or more time points and at one or more locations on the solid surface during step (a).