Hexadecapolar colloids.
Hexadecapolar colloids.
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DOI：
10.1038/ncomms10659
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发表时间：
2016-02-11
影响因子：
16.6
通讯作者：
Smalyukh II
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Senyuk B;Puls O;Tovkach OM;Chernyshuk SB;Smalyukh II
化学元素的最外层占据的电子壳层可以具有类似于对应于填充的s-、p-、d-和f-轨道的单极子、偶极子、四极子和八极子的对称性。理论上，具有十六极外壳的元素也可能存在，但没有一个已知元素具有填充的g轨道。另一方面，“胶体原子”的研究范式显示出超过原子对应物的粒子行为的复杂性，这是由DNA功能化、几何形状和拓扑以及弱外部刺激驱动的。在这里，我们描述了由分散在液晶中的聚合物微球形成的弹性十六极，液晶是一种定向有序分子棒的向列流体。由于圆锥简并边界条件，固体微球局部扰乱向列主体的排列，引起十六极扭曲，从而驱动各向异性胶体相互作用。我们揭示了胶体弹性十六极形成的物理基础，并描述了先前研究的弹性偶极子、四极子和其他向列胶体无法实现的随后的键合。 胶体系统可以形成液体和晶体等体相，但它们也表现出原子类似物所没有的有趣行为。 Senyuk 等人通过将固体聚合物微球分散在向列液晶中。证明十六极向列胶体的自发形成。
Outermost occupied electron shells of chemical elements can have symmetries resembling that of monopoles, dipoles, quadrupoles and octupoles corresponding to filled s-, p-, d- and f-orbitals. Theoretically, elements with hexadecapolar outer shells could also exist, but none of the known elements have filled g-orbitals. On the other hand, the research paradigm of ‘colloidal atoms' displays complexity of particle behaviour exceeding that of atomic counterparts, which is driven by DNA functionalization, geometric shape and topology and weak external stimuli. Here we describe elastic hexadecapoles formed by polymer microspheres dispersed in a liquid crystal, a nematic fluid of orientationally ordered molecular rods. Because of conically degenerate boundary conditions, the solid microspheres locally perturb the alignment of the nematic host, inducing hexadecapolar distortions that drive anisotropic colloidal interactions. We uncover physical underpinnings of formation of colloidal elastic hexadecapoles and describe the ensuing bonding inaccessible to elastic dipoles, quadrupoles and other nematic colloids studied previously. Colloidal systems can form bulk phases such as liquid and crystals, but they also exhibit interesting behaviours that have no atomic analogues. Here, by dispersing solid polymer microspheres in a nematic liquid crystal, Senyuk et al. demonstrate spontaneous formation of hexadecapolar nematic colloids.