Stabilization of liquid crystal blue phases by carbon nanoparticles of varying dimensionality

Draude, Adam P.; Kalavalapalli, Tejas Y.; Iliuţ, Maria; McConnell, Ben; Dierking, Ingo

doi:10.1039/d0na00276c

Cited by 29 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 37 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Kikuchi et al, for instance, performed SAXS measurement of blue phase by using a polymer tagged with iodine [61]. The inclusion of impurities, however, will lead to remarkable modification of rheological behavior because adding them significantly stabilizes the blue phase [62][63][64][65][66]. As impurities are very likely to fundamentally alter the viscoelastic properties of the pure blue phases [2], introducing them is beyond the scope of this paper.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shear-enhanced elasticity in the cubic blue phase I

Fujii

Henrich

2021

Phys. Rev. E

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We present results of the linear and nonlinear rheology of the cubic blue phase I (BPI). The elasticity of BPI is dominated by double-twist cylinders assembled in a body-centered cubic lattice, which can be specified by disclination lines. We find that the elasticity of BPI is enhanced by an order of magnitude by applying pre-shear. The shear-enhanced elasticity is attributed to a rearrangement of the disclination lines that are arrested in a metastable state. Our results are relevant for the understanding of the dynamics of disclinations in the cubic blue phases.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shear-enhanced elasticity in the cubic blue phase I

Fujii

Henrich

2021

Phys. Rev. E

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Nevertheless, most of the existing size-dependent studies [46,48] suggest that the trapping becomes less effective and the stabilization effect milder as the NP size grows. When the size of particles becomes essentially larger, approaching the µm scale, the stabilizing effect may be associated with their assembly within the interfaces between platelets [66]. Moreover, it is worth investigating how the NPs affect the relaxation of a double-twist cylinder structure and if the larger sizes suppress the fluctuations, as theory suggests [65].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantum Dot-Driven Stabilization of Liquid-Crystalline Blue Phases

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Liquid crystals hosting nanoparticles comprise a fascinating research field, ranging from fundamental aspects of phase transitions to applications in optics and photonics. Liquid-crystalline phases exhibit topological defects that can be used for assembly of nanoparticles in periodical arrays, and at the same time, the nanoparticles can increase the stability range of liquid-crystalline phases. This has been experimentally demonstrated over the past few years in the case of blue phases that are present in some strongly chiral liquid crystals. Experimental results in quantum dot-driven blue phase stabilization are presented here by means of high-resolution calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy. It is demonstrated that quantum dots essentially stabilize the macroscopically amorphous blue phase III. There are discussed similarities and differences between the effects of spherical and anisotropic nanoparticles on blue phase stabilization; moreover, future prospects and trends in the field are addressed.

show abstract

“…Much research has been devoted to three-dimensional (3D) self-assembly [25], though a two-dimensional (2D) variant continues to be of interest from an exploratory perspective [47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55] as well as in applied technologies [1,56]. Optimal function is achieved via slab geometry in many devices, including optoelectronic/photonic materials [57][58][59][60][61], sensors [60,[62][63][64][65][66][67][68], display technologies [69][70][71], smart glass [72,73], spatial light modulators [74][75][76][77], and tunable filters [78][79][80][81]. However, dimensionality plays an essential role in the type and extent of structural order that a condensed phase can maintain [52,[82][83][84][85][86][87][88].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Bidimensional Gay-Berne Calamitic Fluid: Structure and Phase Behavior in Bulk and Strongly Confined Systems

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A bidimensional (2D) thermotropic liquid crystal (LC) is investigated with Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. The Gay-Berne mesogen with parameterization GB(3, 5, 2, 1) is used to model a calamitic system. Spatial orientation of the LC samples is probed with the nematic order parameter: a sharp isotropic-smectic (I-Sm) transition is observed at lower pressures. At higher pressures, the I-Sm transition involves an intermediate nematic phase. Topology of the orthobaric phase diagram for the 2D case differs from the 3D case in two important respects: 1) the nematic region appears at lower temperatures and slightly lower densities, and 2) the critical point occurs at lower temperature and slightly higher density. The 2D calamitic model is used to probe the structural behavior of LC samples under strong confinement when either planar or homeotropic anchoring prevails. Samples subjected to circular, square, and triangular boundaries are gradually cooled to study how orientational order emerges. Depending on anchoring mode and confining geometry, characteristic topological defects emerge. Textures in these systems are similar to those observed in experiments and simulations of lyotropic LCs.

show abstract

Stabilization of liquid crystal blue phases by carbon nanoparticles of varying dimensionality

Abstract: Carbon nanomaterials of differing dimensionality, namely fullerenes, nanotubes and graphene oxide are shown to stabilize the Blue Phases at the expense of the N* phase until its complete disappearance. A BP–N–SmA triple point is observed.

Cited by 29 publications

References 37 publications

Shear-enhanced elasticity in the cubic blue phase I

Shear-enhanced elasticity in the cubic blue phase I

Quantum Dot-Driven Stabilization of Liquid-Crystalline Blue Phases

A Bidimensional Gay-Berne Calamitic Fluid: Structure and Phase Behavior in Bulk and Strongly Confined Systems

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Stabilization of liquid crystal blue phases by carbon nanoparticles of varying dimensionality

Abstract: Carbon nanomaterials of differing dimensionality, namely fullerenes, nanotubes and graphene oxide are shown to stabilize the Blue Phases at the expense of the N* phase until its complete disappearance. A BP–N*–SmA* triple point is observed.

Cited by 29 publications

References 37 publications

Shear-enhanced elasticity in the cubic blue phase I

Shear-enhanced elasticity in the cubic blue phase I

Quantum Dot-Driven Stabilization of Liquid-Crystalline Blue Phases

A Bidimensional Gay-Berne Calamitic Fluid: Structure and Phase Behavior in Bulk and Strongly Confined Systems

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Abstract: Carbon nanomaterials of differing dimensionality, namely fullerenes, nanotubes and graphene oxide are shown to stabilize the Blue Phases at the expense of the N* phase until its complete disappearance. A BP–N–SmA triple point is observed.