Capillary-induced giant elastic dipoles in thin nematic films
2015
Jeridi, Haifa | Gharbi, Mohamed A. | Othman, Tahar | Blanc, Christophe
Significance The coupling of capillarity and elasticity at liquid crystal interfaces is an emerging topic driven by the ability of both mechanisms to guide the self-assembly of microparticles into ordered structures. In this research, we explore fundamental questions about how capillary deformations at liquid crystal interfaces can affect the texture around particles captured in thin nematic films. We report for the first time, to our knowledge, the formation of giant elastic dipoles and develop a fuller understanding of their creation. The understanding of such elastocapillary effects could lead to new opportunities to control the spatial organization of colloidal particles and develop novel classes of reconfigurable materials that are highly interesting for technological applications.
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