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Dynamics of Acoustically Energized Active Nematic Droplets
Tadej Emersic1, Juan J de Pablo2,3, Alexey Snezhko2
1The University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|August 12, 2025
Summary
Acoustic fields energize nematic tactoids, causing complex dynamics like splitting and rotation. Specific acoustic pulses can transform these droplets into stable tori, offering new ways to manipulate liquid crystal behavior.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Nematic liquid crystals can form tactoids (spindle-shaped droplets) in biphasic systems.
- The dynamic behavior of these tactoids under external fields is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the complex dynamics of nematic tactoids when subjected to an acoustic field.
- To explore the possibility of inducing topological transformations in tactoids using acoustic energy.
Main Methods:
- Nematic liquid crystal tactoids were subjected to controlled acoustic fields.
- High-speed imaging and analysis were used to observe tactoid behavior.
- Acoustic pulse parameters were varied to study their effects on tactoid morphology and dynamics.
Main Results:
- Acoustic energization induced diverse tactoid behaviors: stretching, bending, splitting, merging, rotation, and locomotion.
- Specific acoustic pulse sequences were found to trigger a transformation from tactoids to stable torus-shaped droplets.
- The transformed torus droplets exhibited higher elastic energy and long-lived stability.
Conclusions:
- Acoustic fields provide a powerful tool for controlling the dynamics and topology of nematic tactoids.
- This study offers insights into acoustically driven active liquid crystal systems.
- The findings suggest potential applications in manipulating micro-scale liquid crystal structures.
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