Colloidal Surfaces with Boundaries, Apex Boojums and Nested Elastic Self-Assembly of Nematic Colloids

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new class of nematic colloids made from shaped nanofoils that can form programmable, defect-driven self-assembled structures with tunable elastic interactions, advancing colloidal material design.

Contribution

It demonstrates how shaped nanofoils with boundaries can induce specific defect configurations and elastic interactions in nematic colloids, enabling programmable self-assembly.

Findings

Pyramidal nanofoils induce point defects with fractional hedgehog charges.

Nanofoils shaped as octahedrons behave as elastic quadrupoles.

Tunable elastic interactions lead to nested colloidal assemblies.

Abstract

Self-assembly of colloidal particles is poised to become a powerful composite material fabrication technique, but remains challenged by a limited control over the ensuing structures. We develop a new breed of nematic colloids that are physical analogs of a mathematical surface with boundary, interacting with the molecular alignment field without inducing defects when flat. However, made from a thin nanofoil, they can be shaped to prompt formation of self-compensating defects that drive pre-programmed elastic interactions mediated by the nematic host. To show this, we wrap the nanofoil on all triangular side faces of a pyramid, except its square base. The ensuing pyramidal cones induce point defects with fractional hedgehog charges of opposite signs, spontaneously align with respect to the far-field director to form elastic dipoles and nested assemblies with tunable spacing. Nanofoils shaped into octahedrons interact as elastic quadrupoles. Our findings may drive realization of low-symmetry colloidal phases.