Novel Colloidal Interactions in Anisotropic Fluids
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.
Poulin
P
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Stark
H
Lubensky
TC
Weitz
DA