Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: Pure liquids in thermodynamic equilibrium are structurally homogeneous. In liquid crystals, flow and light pulses are used to create reconfigurable domains with polar order. Moreover, through careful engineering of concerted microfluidic flows and localized optothermal fields, it is possible to achieve complete control over the nucleation, growth, and shape of such domains. Experiments, theory, and simulations indicate that the resulting structures can be stabilized indefinitely, provided the liquids are maintained in a controlled nonequilibrium state. The resulting sculpted liquids could find applications in microfluidic devices for selective encapsulation of solutes and particles into optically active compartments that interact with external stimuli.
Source: Science Advances
Language: English
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,500
Awards: Physics of soft matter, surfaces, and nanostructures, Biološka zdravila: detektor tvorbe proteinskih delcev na osnovi tekočih kristalov (Slovene), Topologija in fotonske lastnosti tekočekristalnih koloidov in disperzij (Slovene), Light and Matter, G6446316781, Biophysics of polymers, membranes, gels, colloids and cells, G7891689741
OpenAlex ID: W2914960860