Charge transport in hexagonal columnar liquid crystals self-organized from supramolecular cylinders based on acene-functionalized dendrons

We report measurements of time-of-flight charge carrier mobility and thermal optical polarized microscopy on a new class of hexagonal columnar (Φₕ) liquid crystals (LC) self-organized from supramolecular cylinders self-assembled from acene functionalized dendrons. We discuss the temperature and electric field-independent high hole mobility of 1--3.5×10^-3cm²/Vs of fluorinated tapered first generation dendrons that contain pyrene and naphthalene groups in their core and self-assemble into supramolecular nanocylinders. The anomalous temperature behavior of the mobility is consistent with polaron transport mechanisms. Studies of time-of-flight transients, which reveal evidence for dynamic defects with lifetimes in the range of 10^-6s, are presented as aspects of charge generation and recombination kinetics.