Liquid crystals
Liquid crystals are soft materials that combine the ordered structure of solids but have the ability to flow like a liquid. Their molecules can align collectively while still moving freely, creating phases that show both orientational order and fluid behavior. This unique combination makes liquid crystals useful to study how molecular organization shapes material properties and fluid dynamics.
One of the widely studied liquid crystal phases are smectic phases, in which elongated molecules organize into stacked nanoscale layers that act like two-dimensional fluids. This allows the film to flow within the plane while maintaining long-range molecular order. In smectic A phase, molecules align perpendicular to the layers, forming uniform films that behave as two-dimensional fluids. In Smectic C phase, the molecules tilt relative to the layer normal, introducing anisotropy and more complex in-plane dynamics. These layered arrangements create a well-controlled environment for investigating two-dimensional hydrodynamics, collective motion, and defect-driven processes in soft matter.
Freely suspended smectic films are often just a few layers thick and are a powerful modeling system because of their thickness, stability, and uniform structure. These films cause host features such as islands, multilayer domains, and liquid droplets that interact, reorganize, and behave like two-dimensional colloids. Their ability to form lattices, merge, and move under internal flows makes them especially useful for studying 2D fluid physics, emulsions, and soft-matter dynamics.
Some day-to-day real-life examples include:
- Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs): Found in televisions, computer monitors, and smartphones. LCDs use liquid crystals to create images by controlling how light passes through the pixels.
- Smart windows: These windows change from transparent to opaque, managing light by adjusting the alignment of liquid crystals with an electric current.
- Cosmetics: Liquid crystals can be included in skincare products to aid ingredient penetration.
- Thermochromic devices: These are medical devices used for monitoring temperature-sensitive goods in transport. They use liquid crystals that change color in response to temperature.
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