title: Novel Colloidal Interactions in Anisotropic Fluids
abstract: Small water droplets dispersed in a nematic liquid crystal exhibit a novel class of colloidal interactions, arising from the orientational elastic energy of the anisotropic host fluid. These interactions include a short-range repulsion and a long-range dipolar attraction, and they lead to the formation of anisotropic chainlike structures by the colloidal particles. The repulsive interaction can lead to novel mechanisms for colloid stabilization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poulin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lubensky
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Weitz