Colloidal inclusions in active nematics
ORAL
Abstract
Suspending micron-sized colloidal particles in equilibrium thermotropic nematic liquid crystals provides a versatile platform for self-assembly. Colloidal inclusions induce formation of elastic deformations and topological defects of the nematic director, leading to complex colloidal interactions that are challenging to reproduce by alternative methods. Motivated by these advances, we explore the behavior of colloidal particles immersed in microtubule-based active nematic liquid crystals. Analogous to equilibrium systems, colloidal particles can induce defects and elastic deformations of the active nematics, which in turn power complex colloidal dynamics. We describe experimental studies which explore the intricate relationship between the shape and dynamics of colloidal particles immersed in active nematic liquid crystals.
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Presenters
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Sattvic Ray
University of California, Santa Barbara
Authors
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Sattvic Ray
University of California, Santa Barbara
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Jie Zhang
University of Science and Technology of China
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Paul J Atzberger
University of California, Santa Barbara
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Cristina Marchetti
University of California, Santa Barbara, University of California Santa Barbara
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Zvonimir Dogic
University of California, Santa Barbara