Optical motion control of liquid crystalline droplets by host–guest molecular interaction

Abstract

LC droplets could be mobilized and direction-controlled by the structure of photo-responsive molecules.

Photocontrollable Crystallization at the Topological Defect of a Liquid Crystalline Droplet

“…In this study, we accidentally found a unique crystallization phenomenon while studying a new category of active matters consisting of LCs. − During this study, we found that crystallization of a solute was triggered by light at the topological defect in a pure LC droplet even though the solute was dissolved outside the LC droplet. A crystal was formed inside the LC droplet when using light irradiation at a wavelength that matches the absorption of the solute.…”

Photocontrollable Crystallization at the Topological Defect of a Liquid Crystalline Droplet

“…In this study, we accidentally found a unique crystallization phenomenon while studying a new category of active matters consisted of LCs, which could move around in a surfactant solution due to an induced convective flow inside and outside the droplets while gradually dissolving into it. [22][23][24] We focused on the photo-controlled motion of the LC droplets by promoting adsorption and desorption of molecules at the interface and could demonstrate the LC droplets approaching to and drawing away from a light source, 25,26 and showed a clockwise/anti-clockwise rotation under the light. 27 During this study, we found a crystallization of a chemical was triggered by light at the topological defect in a pure LC droplet, even though the chemical was dissolved outside the LC droplet.…”

Photo-controllable rotational motion of cholesteric liquid crystalline droplets in a dispersion system

“…12,13 We demonstrated photo-controllable active LC droplets made of N-(4-methoxybenzylidene)-4butylaniline (MBBA), 14 and 4-cyano-4 0 -pentylbiphenyl (5CB) with photo-responsive dyes. 15 Interestingly, the motion direction can be controlled by the variation of the doped dyes because of the different solubilization behavior of dyes under the light illumination.…”