Liquid-crystal mediated nanoparticle interactions and gel formation

Whitmer, Jonathan K.; Joshi, Abhijeet A.; Roberts, Tyler F.; de Pablo, Juan J.

doi:10.1063/1.4802774

Liquid-crystal mediated nanoparticle interactions and gel formation

Journal Article · Fri May 17 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Journal of Chemical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4802774· OSTI ID:1603418

Whitmer, Jonathan K. ^[1]; Joshi, Abhijeet A. ^[2]; Roberts, Tyler F. ^[2]; de Pablo, Juan J. ^[3]

Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Cornell University
Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)
Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States); Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Colloidal particles embedded within nematic liquid crystals exhibit strong anisotropic interactions arising from preferential orientation of nematogens near the particle surface. Such interactions are conducive to forming branched, gel-like aggregates. Anchoring effects also induce interactions between colloids dispersed in the isotropic liquid phase, through the interactions of the pre-nematic wetting layers. Here we utilize computer simulation using coarse-grained mesogens to perform a molecular-level calculation of the potential of mean force between two embedded nanoparticles as a function of anchoring for a set of solvent conditions straddling the isotropic–nematic transition. Finally, we observe that strong, nontrivial interactions can be induced between particles dispersed in mesogenic solvent, and explore how such interactions might be utilized to induce a gel state in the isotropic and nematic phases.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22); National Science Foundation (NSF); National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0004025

OSTI ID:: 1603418

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1395059

Journal Information:: Journal of Chemical Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Chemical Physics Journal Issue: 19 Vol. 138; ISSN 0021-9606

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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