Antiferroelectric ordering of amphiphilic glycolipids in bent-core liquid crystals.

Lipids are the main constituents of biological cell membranes, and their liquid crystalline properties play a crucial role in cell functions. We have discovered that dodecyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside glycolipid layers can be electrically polarized in supramolecular structures of glycolipid and bent-core ("banana-shape") molecules. Interestingly the glycolipid molecules, known to be excellent chiral dopants, are not able to transfer their chirality to the bent-core layers. Our observations indicate that glycolipid molecules self-assemble into pairs of tilted and antiferroelectric double layers, sandwiched between layers of bent-core molecules. These systems may provide a basis for understanding "bioferroelectricity," which is important in biological cell membrane functions.