Photosynthetically-powered phototactic active nematic liquid crystal fluids and gels

Journal Article · 14 March 2024 · Communications Materials

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-024-00474-8 · OSTI ID:2323950

Repula, Andrii; Gates, Colin; Cameron, Jeffrey C. ; Smalyukh, Ivan I.

Abstract One of the most ancient forms of life dating to ~3.5 billion years ago, cyanobacteria are highly abundant organisms that convert light into energy and motion, often within conjoined filaments and larger colonies that attract a great deal of interest but their active nematic behavior remained unexplored. Here we demonstrate how light causes a spontaneous self-assembly of two- and three-dimensional active nematic states of cyanobacterial filaments, with a plethora of topological defects. We quantify light-controlled evolutions of orientational and velocity order parameters during the transition between disordered and orientationally ordered states of photosynthetic active matter, as well as the subsequent active nematic’s fluid-gel transformation. Patterned illumination and foreign inclusions with different shapes interact with cyanobacterial active nematics in nontrivial ways while inducing interfacial boundary conditions and fractional boojum defects. Our phototactic model system promises opportunities to systematically explore fundamental properties and technological utility of the liquid crystalline active matter.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0020361
• OSTI ID: 2323950
• Journal Information: Communications Materials, Journal Name: Communications Materials Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 5; ISSN 2662-4443
• Publisher: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United Kingdom
• Language: English