Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026
06:24
High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal
Published on: October 31, 2019
6.9K
Defect transitions in nematic liquid-crystal capillary bridges
Perry W Ellis1, Shengnan Huang1, Susannah Klaneček1
1School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0430, USA.
Physical Review. E
|May 16, 2018
Summary
The aspect ratio of nematic liquid crystal capillary bridges controls defect transitions between ring and point structures, exhibiting hysteresis. Bridge shape dictates defect type, with hyperbolic defects in waistlike and radial defects in barrel-like configurations.
Area of Science:
- Soft matter physics
- Materials science
Background:
- Nematic liquid crystals exhibit complex defect structures.
- Capillary bridges confine liquid crystals, influencing their behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate defect structure and director configuration in nematic liquid crystal capillary bridges.
- Understand the influence of aspect ratio and surface shape on defect transitions.
Main Methods:
- Experimental observation of liquid crystal capillary bridges.
- Computational modeling of defect structures and director configurations.
Main Results:
- Tuning the aspect ratio induces a transition between ring and point defects.
- This transition shows hysteresis due to metastable point-defect structures.
- Capillary bridge surface shape determines defect type: hyperbolic for waistlike, radial for barrel-like.
Conclusions:
- Aspect ratio and surface geometry are critical parameters for controlling defect structures in liquid crystal capillary bridges.
- The observed hysteresis provides insight into the dynamic behavior of these systems.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:18Rise of Liquid in a Capillary Tube
3.3K
When very thin cylindrical tubes, called capillaries, are dipped in a liquid, the liquid rises or falls in the tube compared to the surrounding liquid. This phenomenon is called capillary action. Capillary action occurs due to the combination of two opposing forces: the cohesive forces of the liquid, which cause it to stick to itself and form a rounded shape, and the adhesive forces between the liquid and the walls of the container, which cause the liquid to be attracted to the container walls.
3.3K
02:31Phase Transitions
23.3K
Whether solid, liquid, or gas, a substance's state depends on the order and arrangement of its particles (atoms, molecules, or ions). Particles in the solid pack closely together, generally in a pattern. The particles vibrate about their fixed positions but do not move or squeeze past their neighbors. In liquids, although the particles are closely spaced, they are randomly arranged. The position of the particles are not fixed—that is, they are free to move past their neighbors to...
23.3K
02:58Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
31.0K
Crystal Field Theory
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
31.0K
01:15Design Example: Strain Gauge Bridge or Wheatstone Bridge
1.0K
The utilization of strain gauges as transducers for converting mechanical strain into electrical signals is a common practice in various engineering applications. These strain gauges are frequently integrated into Wheatstone bridge circuits to accurately measure parameters such as force or pressure. Within this context, each element within the circuit exhibits a resistance that undergoes subtle variations when subjected to mechanical strain. The primary objective is to convert minuscule...
1.0K
02:39Phase Transitions: Vaporization and Condensation
21.5K
The physical form of a substance changes on changing its temperature. For example, raising the temperature of a liquid causes the liquid to vaporize (convert into vapor). The process is called vaporization—a surface phenomenon. Vaporization occurs when the thermal motion of the molecules overcome the intermolecular forces, and the molecules (at the surface) escape into the gaseous state. When a liquid vaporizes in a closed container, gas molecules cannot escape. As these gas phase molecules...
21.5K
02:39Phase Transitions: Melting and Freezing
15.3K
Heating a crystalline solid increases the average energy of its atoms, molecules, or ions, and the solid gets hotter. At some point, the added energy becomes large enough to partially overcome the forces holding the molecules or ions of the solid in their fixed positions, and the solid begins the process of transitioning to the liquid state or melting. At this point, the temperature of the solid stops rising, despite the continual input of heat, and it remains constant until all of the solid is...
15.3K