1,180 research outputs found
Ordering dynamics of blue phases entails kinetic stabilization of amorphous networks
The cubic blue phases of liquid crystals are fascinating and technologically
promising examples of hierarchically structured soft materials, comprising
ordered networks of defect lines (disclinations) within a liquid crystalline
matrix. We present the first large-scale simulations of their domain growth,
starting from a blue phase nucleus within a supercooled isotropic or
cholesteric background. The nucleated phase is thermodynamically stable; one
expects its slow orderly growth, creating a bulk cubic. Instead, we find that
the strong propensity to form disclinations drives the rapid disorderly growth
of a metastable amorphous defect network. During this process the original
nucleus is destroyed; re-emergence of the stable phase may therefore require a
second nucleation step. Our findings suggest that blue phases exhibit
hierarchical behavior in their ordering dynamics, to match that in their
structure.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, 2 supplementary figures, 2 supplementary tables,
accepted by PNA
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An investigation of the effects of sugar, acid and pectin on the quality of gels
Colloidal Jamming at Interfaces: a Route to Fluid-bicontinuous Gels
Colloidal particles or nanoparticles, with equal affinity for two fluids, are
known to adsorb irreversibly to the fluid-fluid interface. We present
large-scale computer simulations of the demixing of a binary solvent containing
such particles. The newly formed interface sequesters the colloidal particles;
as the interface coarsens, the particles are forced into close contact by
interfacial tension. Coarsening is dramatically curtailed, and the jammed
colloidal layer seemingly enters a glassy state, creating a multiply connected,
solid-like film in three dimensions. The resulting gel contains percolating
domains of both fluids, with possible uses as, for example, a microreaction
medium
Thermodynamics of Blue Phases In Electric Fields
We present extensive numerical studies to determine the phase diagrams of
cubic and hexagonal blue phases in an electric field. We confirm the earlier
prediction that hexagonal phases, both 2 and 3 dimensional, are stabilized by a
field, but we significantly refine the phase boundaries, which were previously
estimated by means of a semi-analytical approximation. In particular, our
simulations show that the blue phase I -- blue phase II transition at fixed
chirality is largely unaffected by electric field, as observed experimentally.Comment: submitted to Physical Review E, 7 pages (excluding figures), 12
figure
Nonequilibrium steady states in sheared binary fluids
We simulate by lattice Boltzmann the steady shearing of a binary fluid
mixture undergoing phase separation with full hydrodynamics in two dimensions.
Contrary to some theoretical scenarios, a dynamical steady state is attained
with finite domain lengths in the directions ( of velocity and
velocity gradient. Apparent scaling exponents are estimated as
and . We discuss
the relative roles of diffusivity and hydrodynamics in attaining steady state.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Binary fluids under steady shear in three dimensions
We simulate by lattice Boltzmann the steady shearing of a binary fluid
mixture with full hydrodynamics in three dimensions. Contrary to some
theoretical scenarios, a dynamical steady state is attained with finite
correlation lengths in all three spatial directions. Using large simulations we
obtain at moderately high Reynolds numbers apparent scaling expon ents
comparable to those found by us previously in 2D. However, in 3D there may be a
crossover to different behavior at low Reynolds number: accessing this regime
requires even larger computational resource than used here.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Bulk rheology and microrheology of active fluids
We simulate macroscopic shear experiments in active nematics and compare them
with microrheology simulations where a spherical probe particle is dragged
through an active fluid. In both cases we define an effective viscosity: in the
case of bulk shear simulations this is the ratio between shear stress and shear
rate, whereas in the microrheology case it involves the ratio between the
friction coefficient and the particle size. We show that this effective
viscosity, rather than being solely a property of the active fluid, is affected
by the way chosen to measure it, and strongly depends on details such as the
anchoring conditions at the probe surface and on both the system size and the
size of the probe particle.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figure
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