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Colloidal liquid crystals (LCs) are an emerging class of soft materials that naturally combine the unique properties of both LC molecules and colloidal particles. Chiral LC blue phases are highly attractive in fast optical displays and electrooptical devices, but the formation of chiral structures from achiral colloidal particles is rare. Herein we demonstrate that achiral dumbbell-shaped colloids can assemble into a rich variety of characteristic LC phases, including nematic phases with lock structures, smectic phases, and particularly double-twisted chiral columnar phases. Phase diagrams from experiments and simulations show that the existence and stable regions of different LC phases are strongly dependent on the geometry of colloids. Furthermore, the LC phases can be dynamically tuned by external magnetic fields. This work paves a new route to the development of stimuli-responsive functional LC mesostructures for LC display and laser applications.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
The full text of this article is available to read as a PDF.
There is NO Competing Interest.
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
- FigureS1.jpg
Sedimentation of DBCs. Slow sedimentation of DBCs in a capillary tube at different time points.
- FigureS2.jpg
A demonstration of the fluidic property of the DBC LC phase. After slow sedimentation of FITC-labelled DBCs in the capillary tube for 30 days, the tube was tilted by 90° to observe the flow of the LC phase with time (time interval: 10 s) under fluorescence microscopy. The white dash lines indicate the flow front of the sediment DBC phase.
- FigureS3.jpg
N* phase of DBCs with two very short e-blocks. SEM images of N* phase of (a) DBC with Le = 460 nm, Lc = 1145 nm, De = 335 nm, and Dc = 255 nm, (b) DBC with Le = 200 nm, Lc = 960 nm, De = 315 nm, and Dc = 200 nm, (c) DBC with Le = 165 nm, Lc = 1010 nm, De = 335 nm, and Dc = 205 nm, and (d) DBC with Le = 280 nm, Lc = 3360 nm, De = 395 nm, and Dc = 245 nm. Scale bars in (a–d): 2 μm.
- FigureS4.jpg
N2 phase of DBCs with two short e-blocks. SEM images of N2 phase of (a) DBC with Le = 460 nm, Lc = 700 nm, De = 300 nm, and Dc = 205 nm, (b) DBC with Le = 475 nm, Lc = 650 nm, De = 280 nm, and Dc = 200 nm, (c) DBC with Le = 350 nm, Lc = 790 nm, De = 295 nm, and Dc = 195 nm, and (d) DBC with Le = 370 nm, Lc = 900 nm, De = 240 nm, and Dc = 160 nm. Scale bars in (a–d): 2 μm.
- FigureS5.jpg
N1 phase of DBCs with two intermediate e-blocks. SEM images of N1 phase of (a) DBC with Le = 475 nm, Lc = 570 nm, De = 300 nm, and Dc = 240 nm, (b) DBC with Le = 525 nm, Lc = 525 nm, De = 300 nm, and Dc = 245 nm, (c) DBC with Le = 515 nm, Lc = 520 nm, De = 235 nm, and Dc = 155 nm, and (d) DBC with Le = 505 nm, Lc = 395 nm, De = 275 nm, and Dc = 205 nm. Scale bars in (a–d): 2 μm.
- FigureS6.jpg
SmA phase of DBCs with rod-like shape. SEM images of SmA phase of (a) DBC with Le = 505 nm, Lc = 480 nm, De = 190 nm, and Dc = 175 nm, (b) DBC with Le = 425 nm, Lc = 1455 nm, De = 235 nm, and Dc = 220 nm, (c) DBC with Le = 505 nm, Lc = 280 nm, De = 340 nm, and Dc = 255 nm, and (d) DBC with Le = 565 nm, Lc = 400 nm, De = 330 nm, and Dc = 240 nm. Scale bars in (a–d): 2 μm.
- FigureS7.jpg
Isotropic phase of DBCs with large R_D. SEM images of isotropic phase of (a) DBC with Le = 170 nm, Lc = 560 nm, De = 295 nm, and Dc = 180 nm, (b) DBC with Le = 175 nm, Lc = 555 nm, De = 425 nm, and Dc = 265 nm, (c) DBC with Le = 145 nm, Lc = 295 nm, De = 275 nm, and Dc = 165 nm, and (d) DBC with Le = 145 nm, Lc = 215 nm, De = 250 nm, and Dc = 160 nm. Scale bars in (a–d): 2 μm.
- FigureS8.jpg
Isotropic phase observed by simulation. DBCs with (a) R_D = 1.6, R_L = 0.7 and (b) R_D = 1.6, R_L = 0.3.
- FigureS9.jpg
N* phase observed by simulation. DBC with R_D = 1.5 and R_L = 0.12.
- FigureS10.jpg
Schematic illustration of one-lock and two-lock mechanism. (a) In the one-lock mechanism, the length of e-block is comparable to c-block; (b) c-block is twice the length of e-block in the two-lock mechanism.
- FigureS11.jpg
The manipulation of LC phases by a magnetic field. POM images of phases formed (a) before the application of a magnetic field of 5 T (N* phase) and (b) after the application of a magnetic field of 5 T (nematic phase).
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Article
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Complete author information
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Version 1
Posted 07 Aug, 2020
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License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Colloidal liquid crystals (LCs) are an emerging class of soft materials that naturally combine the unique properties of both LC molecules and colloidal particles. Chiral LC blue phases are highly attractive in fast optical displays and electrooptical devices, but the formation of chiral structures from achiral colloidal particles is rare. Herein we demonstrate that achiral dumbbell-shaped colloids can assemble into a rich variety of characteristic LC phases, including nematic phases with lock structures, smectic phases, and particularly double-twisted chiral columnar phases. Phase diagrams from experiments and simulations show that the existence and stable regions of different LC phases are strongly dependent on the geometry of colloids. Furthermore, the LC phases can be dynamically tuned by external magnetic fields. This work paves a new route to the development of stimuli-responsive functional LC mesostructures for LC display and laser applications.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
The full text of this article is available to read as a PDF.
There is NO Competing Interest.
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
- FigureS1.jpg
Sedimentation of DBCs. Slow sedimentation of DBCs in a capillary tube at different time points.
- FigureS2.jpg
A demonstration of the fluidic property of the DBC LC phase. After slow sedimentation of FITC-labelled DBCs in the capillary tube for 30 days, the tube was tilted by 90° to observe the flow of the LC phase with time (time interval: 10 s) under fluorescence microscopy. The white dash lines indicate the flow front of the sediment DBC phase.
- FigureS3.jpg
N* phase of DBCs with two very short e-blocks. SEM images of N* phase of (a) DBC with Le = 460 nm, Lc = 1145 nm, De = 335 nm, and Dc = 255 nm, (b) DBC with Le = 200 nm, Lc = 960 nm, De = 315 nm, and Dc = 200 nm, (c) DBC with Le = 165 nm, Lc = 1010 nm, De = 335 nm, and Dc = 205 nm, and (d) DBC with Le = 280 nm, Lc = 3360 nm, De = 395 nm, and Dc = 245 nm. Scale bars in (a–d): 2 μm.
- FigureS4.jpg
N2 phase of DBCs with two short e-blocks. SEM images of N2 phase of (a) DBC with Le = 460 nm, Lc = 700 nm, De = 300 nm, and Dc = 205 nm, (b) DBC with Le = 475 nm, Lc = 650 nm, De = 280 nm, and Dc = 200 nm, (c) DBC with Le = 350 nm, Lc = 790 nm, De = 295 nm, and Dc = 195 nm, and (d) DBC with Le = 370 nm, Lc = 900 nm, De = 240 nm, and Dc = 160 nm. Scale bars in (a–d): 2 μm.
- FigureS5.jpg
N1 phase of DBCs with two intermediate e-blocks. SEM images of N1 phase of (a) DBC with Le = 475 nm, Lc = 570 nm, De = 300 nm, and Dc = 240 nm, (b) DBC with Le = 525 nm, Lc = 525 nm, De = 300 nm, and Dc = 245 nm, (c) DBC with Le = 515 nm, Lc = 520 nm, De = 235 nm, and Dc = 155 nm, and (d) DBC with Le = 505 nm, Lc = 395 nm, De = 275 nm, and Dc = 205 nm. Scale bars in (a–d): 2 μm.
- FigureS6.jpg
SmA phase of DBCs with rod-like shape. SEM images of SmA phase of (a) DBC with Le = 505 nm, Lc = 480 nm, De = 190 nm, and Dc = 175 nm, (b) DBC with Le = 425 nm, Lc = 1455 nm, De = 235 nm, and Dc = 220 nm, (c) DBC with Le = 505 nm, Lc = 280 nm, De = 340 nm, and Dc = 255 nm, and (d) DBC with Le = 565 nm, Lc = 400 nm, De = 330 nm, and Dc = 240 nm. Scale bars in (a–d): 2 μm.
- FigureS7.jpg
Isotropic phase of DBCs with large R_D. SEM images of isotropic phase of (a) DBC with Le = 170 nm, Lc = 560 nm, De = 295 nm, and Dc = 180 nm, (b) DBC with Le = 175 nm, Lc = 555 nm, De = 425 nm, and Dc = 265 nm, (c) DBC with Le = 145 nm, Lc = 295 nm, De = 275 nm, and Dc = 165 nm, and (d) DBC with Le = 145 nm, Lc = 215 nm, De = 250 nm, and Dc = 160 nm. Scale bars in (a–d): 2 μm.
- FigureS8.jpg
Isotropic phase observed by simulation. DBCs with (a) R_D = 1.6, R_L = 0.7 and (b) R_D = 1.6, R_L = 0.3.
- FigureS9.jpg
N* phase observed by simulation. DBC with R_D = 1.5 and R_L = 0.12.
- FigureS10.jpg
Schematic illustration of one-lock and two-lock mechanism. (a) In the one-lock mechanism, the length of e-block is comparable to c-block; (b) c-block is twice the length of e-block in the two-lock mechanism.
- FigureS11.jpg
The manipulation of LC phases by a magnetic field. POM images of phases formed (a) before the application of a magnetic field of 5 T (N* phase) and (b) after the application of a magnetic field of 5 T (nematic phase).
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