Dr. JOSHI Gargi, JSPS Research Fellow(PD) in Kaneko Lab of Energy and Environment Area received Best Poster Award in Okinawa Colloids 2019 conference. The general theme of the conference is "Colloids for Sustainability."
Okinawa Colloids 2019 conference was held in Nago, Japan,3-8 November 2019.

■Date Awarded
November, 7th, 2019

■Title
Self-assembly and Deposition Control of LC Polysaccharide at Evaporative Interface

■Author
Gargi Joshi, Kosuke Okeyoshi, Tetsu Mitsumata,Tatsuo Kaneko

■Abstract
Self-assembly of polymeric liquid crystals (LC) has emerged as a powerful technique to recreate the complex hierarchy found in nature. By tuning the conditions of drying, it is possible to gain control over their mobility in solution and in turn on the orientation during deposition. Recently, our group reported a macrospace-partitioning phenomenon upon drying a polysaccharide aqueous LC solution from a limited evaporative interface. Vertical membranes were deposited, bridging a millimeter-scale gap between the substrates and formed highly oriented structure as a result of a non-equilibrium process between polymer deposition and hydration. Here, in order to generalize this space-partitioning phenomenon and explore structural changes due to temperature variations, we have explored the drying of xanthan gum solution. The xanthan LC state was affected by changes in temperature and demonstrated interface-assisted orientation. By varying the conditions of temperature and initial concentration, the depositions induced in the limited space have been monitored and a comparative phase diagram prepared. Moreover, crosslinking points were introduced in the deposited films by annealing and anisotropically swelling hydrogels were obtained. We envision that this work of drying-induced condensation will provide a simplified methodology to design self-assembled materials with highly ordered structures.

■Comment
Okinawa colloids witnessed a convergence of big names in this field from all over the globe and famous research institutions. It gave young researchers like me, a direct chance to interact with someone we look up to. I'm very grateful to the organizers and judges for selecting my poster as one of the best along with 24 others out of approx. 500 posters.
I'm very grateful to Prof. Tatsuo Kaneko and Sr. Lectr. Kosuke Okeyoshi for always encouraging me to explore my potential and do my best.

November 18,2019