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Liquid-crystalline behavior on dumbbell-shaped colloids and the observation of chiral blue phases

Author

Listed:
  • Guangdong Chen

    (Jilin University)

  • Hanwen Pei

    (Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xuefei Zhang

    (Fudan University)

  • Wei Shi

    (Beihang University)

  • Mingjie Liu

    (Beihang University)

  • Charl F. J. Faul

    (University of Bristol)

  • Bai Yang

    (Jilin University)

  • Yan Zhao

    (Jihua Laboratory)

  • Kun Liu

    (Jilin University
    Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zhongyuan Lu

    (Jilin University
    Jilin University)

  • Zhihong Nie

    (Fudan University)

  • Yang Yang

    (Jilin University)

Abstract

Colloidal liquid crystals are an emerging class of soft materials that naturally combine the unique properties of both liquid crystal molecules and colloidal particles. Chiral liquid crystal blue phases are attractive for use in fast optical displays and electrooptical devices, but the construction of blue phases is limited to a few chiral building blocks and the formation of blue phases from achiral ones is often counterintuitive. Herein we demonstrate that achiral dumbbell-shaped colloids can assemble into a rich variety of characteristic liquid crystal phases, including nematic phases with lock structures, smectic phase, and particularly experimental observation of blue phase III with double-twisted chiral columns. Phase diagrams from experiments and simulations show that the existence and stable regions of different liquid crystal phases are strongly dependent on the geometrical parameters of dumbbell-shaped colloids. This work paves a new route to the design and construction of blue phases for photonic applications.

Suggested Citation

  • Guangdong Chen & Hanwen Pei & Xuefei Zhang & Wei Shi & Mingjie Liu & Charl F. J. Faul & Bai Yang & Yan Zhao & Kun Liu & Zhongyuan Lu & Zhihong Nie & Yang Yang, 2022. "Liquid-crystalline behavior on dumbbell-shaped colloids and the observation of chiral blue phases," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-33125-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33125-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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