Soft Matter Theory & Simulations Group

PRE: Liq. Cryst.

• Modeling of a light-fueled self-paddling boat with a liquid crystal elastomer-based motor
  Author(s): Haiyang Wu, Chongfeng Zhao, Yuntong Dai, and Kai LiActive materials possess unique properties of being able to respond autonomously to external stimuli, yet realizing and regulating the motion behavior of active machines remains a major challenge. Conventional control approaches, including sensor control and external device control, are both compl […]
• Features of director reorientation in a thin nematic film under the influence of crossed electric and magnetic fields
  Author(s): Izabela Śliwa, Pavel V. Maslennikov, and Alex V. ZakharovThe theory based on numerical study of the system of hydrodynamic equations, which includes the director motion, shows that under the influence of crossed electric $\mathbf{\text{E}}$ and magnetic $\mathbf{\text{B}}$ fields, the director reorients in such a way that the transient quasiperiod […]
• Energy dissipation mechanism of annihilating reverse tilt domains for various applied voltages
  Author(s): Takuya YanagimachiWhen a voltage is applied to a uniformly aligned nematic liquid crystal, a characteristic texture designated as reverse tilt domain (RTD) appears. The RTD, surrounded by a domain wall, gradually shrinks and finally disappears. The domain wall splits into a pair of disclination lines by increase of t…[Phys. Rev. E 109, 044703] Pub […]
• Structural parameters of twist-bend nematics and splay-bend nematics in Dozov's theory
  Author(s): Michał Szmigielski and Mariola BuczkowskaThis paper presents the results of numerical calculations revealing how the structural parameters (i.e., the pitch ${p}_{\mathrm{TB}}$, the spatial period ${p}_{\mathrm{SB}}$, and the tilt angle ${θ}_{\mathrm{TB}}$ or ${θ}_{\mathrm{SB}}$) of twist-bend nematics (${N}_{\mathrm{TB}}$) and splay-bend n…[Phys. […]
• Anchoring-mediated stick-slip winding of cholesteric liquid crystals
  Author(s): Weichao ZhengThe stick-slip phenomenon widely exists in contact mechanics, from the macroscale to the nanoscale. During cholesteric-nematic unwinding by external fields, there is controversy regarding the role of planar surface anchoring, which may induce discontinuous stick-slip behaviors despite the well-known…[Phys. Rev. E 109, 044701] Publishe […]
• Modeling the light-powered self-rotation of a liquid crystal elastomer fiber-based engine
  Author(s): Yong Yu, Haoyu Hu, Yuntong Dai, and Kai LiSelf-oscillating systems possess the ability to convert ambient energy directly into mechanical work, and new types of self-oscillating systems are worth designing for practical applications in energy harvesters, engines and actuators. Taking inspiration from the four-stroke engine. A concept for a …[Phys. […]
• Glassy relaxation in a de Vries smectic liquid crystal consisting of bent-core molecules
  Author(s): Vishnu Deo Mishra, G. Pratap, and Arun RoyWe report experimental investigations of a liquid crystal comprising thiophene-based achiral bent-core banana shaped molecules. The compound exhibits the following phase sequence on cooling: Isotropic (517.4 K), $N$ (514.9 K), de Vries SmA (402 K), SmC. Practically no layer contraction was observed …[Phys. […]
• Mixing twist-bend and ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals
  Author(s): Abinash Barthakur, Bidisha Bag, Santhegudda Jayaramappa Shivaraja, Jakub Karcz, Przemyslaw Kula, and Surajit DharaTwist-bend (${\mathrm{N}}_{\mathrm{tb}}$) and ferroelectric (${\mathrm{N}}_{\mathrm{F}}$) nematic liquid crystals exhibit several novel effects and new physical properties. Here, we report experimental studies on the phase diagram and […]
• Synchronous behaviors of three coupled liquid crystal elastomer-based spring oscillators under linear temperature fields
  Author(s): Haiyang Wu, Biao Zhang, and Kai LiSelf-oscillating coupled systems possess the ability to actively absorb external environmental energy to sustain their motion. This quality endows them with autonomy and sustainability, making them have application value in the fields of synchronization and clustering, thereby furthering research an…[Phys. Rev. E […]
• Dynamics of viscous droplet coalescence in the confined geometry of optical cells
  Author(s): P. V. Dolganov, N. A. Spiridenko, and A. S. ZverevThe dynamics of quasi-two-dimensional coalescence of isotropic droplets in nematic liquid crystal environment was studied. Investigations were made in confined geometry of a Hele-Shaw optical cell with different transverse droplet sizes. The existence of three distinct dynamic regimes was found for […]