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Reconfigurable Swarms of Nematic Colloids Controlled by Photoactivated Surface Patterns
Author(s) -
HernàndezNavarro Sergi,
Tierno Pietro,
Farrera Joan Anton,
IgnésMullol Jordi,
Sagués Francesc
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201406136
Subject(s) - liquid crystal , monolayer , colloid , substrate (aquarium) , nanotechnology , materials science , particle (ecology) , anisotropy , electrophoresis , self assembly , micrometer , chemical physics , chemical engineering , chemistry , optoelectronics , optics , chromatography , physics , organic chemistry , oceanography , engineering , geology
Different phoretic driving mechanisms have been proposed for the transport of solid or liquid microscopic inclusions in integrated chemical processes. It is now shown that a substrate that was chemically modified with photosensitive self‐assembled monolayers enables the direct control of the assembly and transport of large ensembles of micrometer‐sized particles and drops that were dispersed in a thin layer of anisotropic fluid. This strategy separates particle driving, which was realized by AC electrophoresis, and steering, which was achieved by elastic modulation of the nematic host fluid. Inclusions respond individually or in collective modes following arbitrary reconfigurable paths that were imprinted by irradiation with UV or blue light. Relying solely on generic material properties, the proposed procedure is versatile enough for the development of applications that involve either inanimate or living materials.