Issue 2, 2008

Self-assembly of nematic colloids

Abstract

Dispersions of colloidal particles in nematic liquid crystals show new classes of interparticle forces, which are anisotropic, long range, and several thousand times stronger than van der Waals forces in water-based colloids. These forces are responsible for a variety of new self-assembled colloidal microstructures, which cannot be observed in isotropic solvents, such as chains of microspheres and cellular soft solid materials. Basic principles of particle self-assembly in 2D nematic colloids are discussed, showing this is a novel paradigm in colloid science, which could lead to new approaches of colloidal self-assembly for photonic devices.

Graphical abstract: Self-assembly of nematic colloids

Article information

Article type
Highlight
Submitted
18 Sep 2007
Accepted
23 Oct 2007
First published
30 Nov 2007

Soft Matter, 2008,4, 195-199

Self-assembly of nematic colloids

I. Muševič and M. Škarabot, Soft Matter, 2008, 4, 195 DOI: 10.1039/B714250A

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