Issue 43, 2017

Coupled swelling and nematic reordering in liquid crystal gels

Abstract

We derive a multiphysics model that accounts for network elasticity with spontaneous strains, swelling and nematic interactions in liquid crystal gels (LCGs). We discuss the coupling among the various physical mechanisms, with particular reference to the effects of nematic interactions on chemical equilibrium and that of swelling on the nematic–isotropic transition. Building upon this discussion and using numerical simulations, we explore the transient phenomena involving concurrent swelling and phase transition in LCGs subject to a temperature change. Specifically, we demonstrate separation in time scales between solvent uptake and phase change, in agreement with experiments, which determines a kinetic decoupling between shape and volume changes. Finally, we discuss possible applications in the context of microswimmers, where such a kinetic decoupling is exploited to achieve non-reciprocal actuation and net motion in Stokes flow.

Graphical abstract: Coupled swelling and nematic reordering in liquid crystal gels

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
18 Aug 2017
Accepted
30 Sep 2017
First published
04 Oct 2017

Soft Matter, 2017,13, 7907-7915

Coupled swelling and nematic reordering in liquid crystal gels

A. Lucantonio and A. DeSimone, Soft Matter, 2017, 13, 7907 DOI: 10.1039/C7SM01659J

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