Design of 2D Binary Colloidal Crystals in a Nematic Liquid Crystal

• Published in: Langmuir Vol. 25; no. 20; pp. 12092 - 12100
• Main Authors: Ognysta, U, Nych, A, Nazarenko, V, Škarabot, M, Muševič, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 20-10-2009
• Subjects: Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Colloids: Surfactants and Self-Assembly, Dispersions, Emulsions, Foams; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Physical and chemical studies. Granulometry. Electrokinetic phenomena; Surface physical chemistry; Self assembly; Microsphere; Binary system; Boundary condition; Liquid crystals; Surface treatment; Design; Liquid; Self organization; Molecular assembly; Laser; Surface conditions; Colloid particle; Crystalline structure
• ISSN: 0743-7463; 1520-5827
• DOI: 10.1021/la901719t

In this paper, we examine directed self-assembly in a 2D binary system of dipolar and quadrupolar colloidal particles with normal surface boundary conditions, dispersed in the nematic liquid crystal. Using the laser tweezers, we assembled a large variety of stable 2D colloidal crystal structures. In all analyzed structures, the particles, their surface treatment and the cell conditions were the same, which gives us the ability to systematically follow the evolution of colloidal assembly when many particles are present. We present an analogy between molecular self-assembly and organization of colloidal microspheres in liquid crystalline medium to extend the strategy for designing colloidal crystalline structures of different level of complexity.