Issue 2, 2009
From the journal:

Soft Matter

Nematic colloids entangled by topological defects

Miha Ravnika  and  Slobodan Žumer*ab  

* Corresponding authors

a Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Jadranska 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
E-mail: miha.ravnik@fmf.uni-lj.si, slobodan.zumer@fmf.uni-lj.si

b J. Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Abstract

Assembly of colloidal particles in nematic liquid crystals is governed by the symmetry of building blocks and type of defects in the liquid crystalline orientation. Particles in a nematic act as nucleation sites for topological defect structures that are homotopic to point defects. The tendency for a minimal deformation free energy and topological constraints limit possible defect configurations to extended and localized defect loops. Here we report on a recently discovered colloidal binding, where particles are entangled by disclination loops. Nematic braids formed by such disclinations stabilize multi-particle objects and entrap particles in a complex manner. Observed binding potentials are highly anisotropic showing string-like behavior and can be of an order of magnitude stronger compared to non-entangled colloids. Controlling the assembly based on entangled disclination lines one can build multi-particle structures with potentially useful features (shapes, periodic structure, chirality, etc.) for photonic and plasmonic applications.

Graphical abstract: Nematic colloids entangled by topological defects

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/B810933H
Article type
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Submitted
27 Jun 2008
Accepted
10 Sep 2008
First published
05 Nov 2008

Soft Matter, 2009,5, 269-274

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Nematic colloids entangled by topological defects

M. Ravnik and Slobodan Žumer, Soft Matter, 2009, 5, 269 DOI: 10.1039/B810933H

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