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The liquid crystal and soft matter community has lost a scientist whose work has had a lasting influence on the field. Wolfgang Helfrich, who passed away in 2025, made fundamental contributions to both liquid crystal research and biophysics.

After studying physics in Göttingen, Munich and Tübingen, and completing his doctorate at the Technical University of Munich in 1961, Helfrich worked in Munich, Ottawa, and at the RCA Laboratories in Princeton. Following his habilitation in 1967, he returned to RCA, where he began developing theoretical ideas on the structure of liquid crystals.

In 1970, at Hoffmann-La Roche in Basel, Helfrich — together with Martin Schadt — developed the first twisted nematic liquid crystal display (LCD). This concept became the basis for a technology that is now used in billions of devices worldwide.

In parallel, Helfrich made important contributions to the physics of membranes. His 1973 paper introduced what is now known as the Helfrich energy, a curvature-based description of membrane elasticity that remains central in biophysics. In the years that followed, he developed key ideas on membrane fluctuations, entropic interactions, and vesicle shapes, which continue to influence research across disciplines.

From 1973 until his retirement in 1997, Helfrich was Professor of Experimental Physics at the Free University of Berlin. He received several distinctions for his work, including the Robert-Wichard-Pohl Prize of the German Physical Society and, in 2012, the Draper Prize of the US National Academy of Engineering.

Wolfgang Helfrich combined theoretical depth with a strong sense for physical problems. He moved between fundamental questions and practical applications and was known for his independent thinking and his critical view of rigid academic and industrial structures.

He will be remembered as a scientist who opened new perspectives in the study of liquid crystals and membranes, and as an inspiration to colleagues and students.

The German Liquid Crystal Society (GLCS / DFKG) honours his memory with respect and gratitude.

by Johanna Bruckner (University of Stuttgart)

Located at the Institute of Physical Chemistry at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, the research group led by Dr. Johanna R. Bruckner deals with the fabrication and analysis of hierarchically structured materials. The group advances from lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) to hierarchically structured materials by taking advantage of the self-assembled structures of surfactant-, polymer-, or nanoparticle-based LLCs as precursors for well-defined solid systems. One example for this is the preparation of ordered mesoporous materials, such as silicates and metallosilicates, by direct liquid crystal templating (DLCT). In this approach, the continuous phase of an LLC is polymerized around the regularly arranged micelles, producing a precise replica of the LLC. In contrast to conventional templating methods, DLCT results in exceptionally well-defined materials (Figure 1). Due to their large surface area, uniform pore diameters, and active sites, these materials are used for catalysis, adsorption, and separation applications, as well as confinement studies. Another central research focus of the Bruckner group lies on photonic materials which selectively reflect certain electro-magnetic wavelengths through a periodic modulation of the refractive index. Such a modulation is achieved, for example, by drying chiral nematic LLCs with suitable structural and electronical properties while preserving the helical structure (Figure 2). At the heart of the group’s research is the focus on developing a detailed understanding of the initial systems and the underlying processes governing structure formation. Driven by this scientific curiosity, the group also develops new, eco-friendly LLCs and production methods to enhance sustainability and broaden their application potential.

Figure 1. A hexagonal LLC phase, as seen by polarizing optical microscopy (top), which is transferred into an ordered mesoporous material by DLCT. Transmission electron microscopy reveals the uniform cylindrical mesopores (bottom).

Figure 2. The helical modulation of the director in the chiral nematic phase gives rise to the characteristic finger print texture visible in polarizing optical microscopy (top). If the structure is retained while drying, the helical arrangement can be visualized by scanning electron microscopy (bottom left) and may lead to the selective reflection of visible light, as in the pictured xanthan film (bottom right).

In June 2025, Liquid Crystals Today published a touching memorial by Johanna R. Bruckner and Rudolf Zentel, dedicated to Dr. Günter Baur and Mrs. Brigitte Saupe, two remarkable figures whose legacy continues to shape liquid crystal science in Germany.

Brigitte Saupe, widow of Prof. Alfred Saupe, played a central role in establishing the Alfred Saupe Foundation and the Alfred Saupe Award, ensuring that her husband’s pioneering work would continue to inspire future generations. Her dedication, together with contributions from colleagues and industry, made the award a lasting highlight of the German Liquid Crystal Conference.

Dr. Günter Baur, meanwhile, was instrumental in founding the Arbeitstagung Flüssigkristalle in 1971 – the forerunner of today’s German Liquid Crystal Conference – and is remembered as a pioneer of in-plane switching, a key technology behind modern liquid crystal displays.

Their vision and commitment left a lasting mark on the scientific community, and their memory was honoured at the 2025 conference in Göttingen.

🔗 Read the full memorial: DOI link