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Coarsening of two-dimensional island emulsions on smectic liquid crystal bubbles in microgravity

ORAL

Abstract

Two-dimensional island emulsions in molecularly thin, tethered smectic liquid crystal bubbles in microgravity are observed to coarsen via coalescence and Ostwald ripening in both the smectic A and smectic C phases. We report here on the observed dynamics of island growth and disappearance in the absence of coalescence at locations in the island emulsion far from the meniscus around the bubble inflation needle. This Ostwald ripening occurs as a result of the system’s tendency to reduce its energy through a decrease in the total length of the island boundaries, a process that is generally dependent on the surface and line tensions and the disjoining pressure of the islands. Smaller islands generally have a higher disjoining pressure than their larger neighbors, which results in permeative flow from the smaller to the larger islands. We will also describe emulsion coarsening by island coalescence and compare the experimentally observed coarsening dynamics with simulations.

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Presenters

  • Cheol Park

    Physics and Soft Materials Research Center, University of Colorado Boulder, Physics and Soft Materials Research Center, University of Colorado

Authors

  • Cheol Park

    Physics and Soft Materials Research Center, University of Colorado Boulder, Physics and Soft Materials Research Center, University of Colorado

  • Eric Minor

    Physics and Soft Materials Research Center, University of Colorado Boulder

  • Joseph E MacLennan

    Physics and Soft Materials Research Center, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado, Boulder, Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Physics and Soft Materials Research Center, University of Colorado

  • Matthew Glaser

    Physics and Soft Materials Research Center, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado, Boulder, Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Institute of Solid State Physics, Otto von Guericke University

  • Noel Anthony Clark

    Physics and Soft Materials Research Center, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado, Boulder, Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Physics and Soft Materials Research Center, University of Colorado

  • Christoph Klopp

    Institute of Solid State Physics, Otto von Guericke University, Department of Nonlinear Physics, Otto von Guericke University Germany

  • Torsten Trittel

    Institute of Solid State Physics, Otto von Guericke University

  • Ralf Stannarius

    Institute of Solid State Physics, Otto von Guericke University