Cover Feature: Stabilization of Bicontinuous Cubic Phase and Its Two-Sided Nature Produced by Use of Siloxane Tails and Introduction of Molecular Nonsymmetry (Chem. Eur. J. 40/2021)

The “two-sided nature” of the Ia3d gyroid-type bicontinuous cubic liquid crystalline (Cubbi LC) phase of a nonsymmetric core molecule is depicted in the cover image. Two core assembly modes specific to each symmetric molecule with larger naphthalene or smaller benzene cores appear to form the three-dimensional helical network, depending on temperature and thermal cycle. The finding reveals that the core symmetry can control the core packing and stability of the network structure. More information can be found in the Full Paper by S. Kutsumizu et al. (DOI: 10.1002/chem.202101233).