# Multi-level Chirality in Liquid Crystals Formed by Achiral Molecules

## TL;DR

This study demonstrates a simple achiral molecular system that exhibits complex multi-level chirality, revealing hierarchical structural organization and coupling mechanisms similar to biological materials.

## Contribution

It introduces a new achiral liquid crystal system with four distinct levels of structural chirality and explores their hierarchical coupling.

## Key findings

- Identification of four levels of chirality in the system
- Coupling between different levels of chirality observed
- Structural analysis using diffraction and optical methods

## Abstract

In many biological materials with a hierarchical structure there is an intriguing and unique mechanism responsible for the 'propagation' of order from the molecular to the nano- or micro-scale level. Here we present a much simpler molecular system built of achiral mesogenic dimeric molecules that shows a similar complexity with four levels of structural chirality (i) layer chirality, (ii) helicity of a basic 4-layer repeating unit, (iii) a helix with a pitch of several layers and (iv) mesoscopic helical filaments. As seen in many biological systems, there is a coupling between chirality at different levels. The structures were identified by a combination of hard and soft x-ray diffraction measurements, optical studies and theoretical modelling.

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/1901.00780