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. […]
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Author(s): Paul G. Severino and Randall D. KamienVolterra's definition of dislocations in crystals geometrically distinguishes edge and screw defects according to whether the Burgers vector is perpendicular or parallel to the defect. A homotopy-theoretic analysis of dislocations as topological defects fails to differentiate edge and screw. Here we…[Phys […]
Author(s): A. V. Emelyanenko, V. Yu. Rudyak, S. A. Shvetsov, F. Araoka, H. Nishikawa, and K. IshikawaOnly a few years have passed since the discovery of polar nematics, and now they are becoming the most actively studied liquid-crystal materials. Despite numerous breakthrough findings made recently, a theoretical systematization is still lacking. In the pres […]
Author(s): Silvia Paparini and Epifanio G. VirgaChromonic nematics are lyotropic liquid crystals that have already been known for half a century, but have only recently raised interest for their potential applications in life sciences. Determining elastic constants and anchoring strengths for rigid substrates has thus become a priority in the cha…[Phys. Rev. […]
Author(s): O. Vázquez-Rodriguez and M. Hernández-ContrerasUsing a linear hydrodynamic theory, we demonstrate that Faraday waves occur in liquid crystalline fluids. The use of already experimentally known material parameters of a $N$-(4-methoxybenzylidene)-4-butylaniline liquid crystal allows us to confirm and realize the predictions of this theory. It prov…[ […]
Author(s): Yong Yu, Fan Yang, Yuntong Dai, and Kai LiLight sources that switch periodically over time have a wide range of application value in life and engineering, and generally require additional controller to periodically switch circuits to achieve periodic lighting. In this paper, a self-oscillating spring oscillator based on optically responsive…[Phys. […]