Upper/lower rim functionalized calixarene based AIE-active liquid crystals with self-assembly behavior: Photophysical and electrochemical studies

•A new family of AIE-active calixarene liquid crystals has been designed and synthesized.•All four materials exhibited blue-light emitting properties in solution and solid thin films.•All four materials showed columnar hexagonal phase with broad temperature range.•All supramolecular LCs shows good electrochemical and thermal behavior.•The calixarene based mesogens adopted cone-confirmation..