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Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Surface induced phase separation and pattern formation at the isotropic interface in chiral nematic liquid crystals
R S Zola1, L R Evangelista, Y-C Yang
1Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program and Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Ohio 44242, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|February 19, 2013
Summary
Chiral nematic liquid crystals form unique striped patterns during wetting transitions. This study reveals how chirality, elasticity, and surface interactions influence pattern evolution and offers insights into biomimetic materials.
Area of Science:
- Soft Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Chiral nematic liquid crystals exhibit complex behaviors influenced by confinement and surface interactions.
- Wetting transitions in liquid crystals can lead to novel pattern formation at interfaces.
- Understanding these phenomena is crucial for developing advanced materials and devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the pattern formation of chiral nematic liquid crystals during a wetting transition.
- To elucidate the interplay between chirality, elastic anisotropy, surface anchoring, and wetting strength.
- To explore the potential of this system as a biomimetic model for natural fibrous composites.
Main Methods:
- Experimental observation of pattern formation in a confined chiral nematic liquid crystal system.
- Analysis of stripe rotation, defect formation, and periodicity changes during wetting layer growth.
- Computational simulation to explain observed experimental results.
Main Results:
- Formation of striped patterns driven by chiral nature and tilted anchoring at the isotropic boundary.
- Stripe rotation via dislocation defects as the wetting layer grows.
- Changes in stripe periodicity and eventual splitting with further wetting layer growth.
- Identification of a critical pitch-thickness ratio differing from literature due to weak isotropic boundary anchoring.
Conclusions:
- The study reveals novel insights into pitch-thickness ratios, interface anchoring, and elastic anisotropy effects in confined chiral nematic liquid crystals.
- Elastic anisotropy and elastic constant ratios are critical factors in stripe formation.
- The system serves as a valuable synthetic model for mimicking naturally occurring twisted plywood structures.
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