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Title: Linked topological colloids in a nematic host

Journal Article · · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
  2. Max-Planck-Inst. für Intelligente Systeme, Stuttgart (Germany); Univ. Stuttgart (Germany)
  3. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Geometric shape and topology of constituent particles can alter many colloidal properties such as Brownian motion, self-assembly, and phase behavior. Thus far, only single-component building blocks of colloids with connected surfaces have been studied, although topological colloids, with constituent particles shaped as freestanding knots and handlebodies of different genus, have been recently introduced. Here we develop a topological class of colloids shaped as multicomponent links. Using two-photon photopolymerization, we fabricate colloidal microparticle analogs of the classic examples of links studied in the field of topology, the Hopf and Solomon links, which we disperse in nematic fluids that possess orientational ordering of anisotropic rod-like molecules. The surfaces of these particles are treated to impose tangential or perpendicular boundary conditions for the alignment of liquid crystal molecules, so that they generate a host of topologically nontrivial field and defect structures in the dispersing nematic medium, resulting in an elastic coupling between the linked constituents. Here, the interplay between the topologies of surfaces of linked colloids and the molecular alignment field of the nematic host reveals that linking of particle rings with perpendicular boundary conditions is commonly accompanied by linking of closed singular defect loops, laying the foundations for fabricating complex composite materials with interlinking-based structural organization.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); National Science Foundation (NSF)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308; DMR-0820579; PRF 54095-ND7
OSTI ID:
1235235
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5900-65642
Journal Information:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 112, Issue 15; Related Information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher:
National Academy of SciencesCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 29 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Orientation Dependent Interaction and Self‐Assembly of Cubic Magnetic Colloids in a Nematic Liquid Crystal journal January 2020
Chiral liquid crystal colloids journal November 2017
High-order elastic multipoles as colloidal atoms journal April 2019
Colloidal topological insulators journal February 2018
Nematic colloidal knots in topological environments journal January 2018
Designed self-assembly of metamaterial split-ring colloidal particles in nematic liquid crystals journal January 2019
An intuitive approach to structuring the three electric field components of light journal January 2019
Global defect topology in nematic liquid crystals journal July 2016
Topological defects in an unconfined nematic fluid induced by single and double spherical colloidal particles journal October 2017
Acetylation of Aurora B by TIP60 ensures accurate chromosomal segregation journal February 2016
Complex electric double layers in charged topological colloids journal September 2018
Orientation, elastic interaction and magnetic response of asymmetric colloids in a nematic liquid crystal journal January 2019
Anisotropic electrostatic screening of charged colloids in nematic solvents journal January 2021
An intuitive approach to structuring the three polarization components of light text January 2018
Elastomeric Nematic Colloids, Colloidal Crystals and Microstructures with Complex Topology preprint January 2021