We present a pioneering mesoscopic scale theoretical model to predict the phase behavior of carbon nanotubes dispersed in thermotropic liquid crystals by combining Doi free energy for carbon nanotubes with Landau-de Gennes free energy for nematic order of low molar mass liquid crystal. In particular we model the interaction term between carbon nanotubes and liquid crystal molecules. The phase behavior of the binary mixture depending on the volume fraction of nanotubes, the strength of the interaction, and temperature is analyzed in detail.
COBISS.SI-ID: 15940616
We were the first to study theoretically combined impact of static and dynamic disorder on the phenomenon of stochastic resonance (SR) in a representative soft matter system, for which we chose perturbed ferroelectric liquid crystals. We generalized derived equations further in order to study the impact on almost general soft matter system. We showed that the dynamic equations are generic for SR phenomenon. We demonstrated how SR could be exploited to determine the disorder character and its strength in a soft matter system.
COBISS.SI-ID: 16178696
We were the first to demonstrate experimentally and theoretically that appropriate nanoparticles (NPs) could extend temperature stability range blue phases for an order of magnitude. The key mechanism behind this phenomenon is collecting of NPs at cores of line defects which characterize blue phases. For this purpose NPs should locally enforce configurations which resemble core structure of defects. We explored the mechanism theoretically using Landau-de Gennes model. Experimentally the phenomenon was checked using different mixtures of liquid crystals and NPs.
COBISS.SI-ID: 24522791
We were the first to demonstrate experimentally and theoretically magnetoelectric effect in a soft matter system. For this purpose we examined mixtures of ferroelectric liquid crystals (LCs) and magnetic nanoparticles (NPs). In this phenomenon LC contributes electric properties and NPs magnetic properties. In our samples we changed magnetization of system by using external electric field. We managed to develop homogeneous mixtures, which remain stable for more than one year. We explained observed phenomenon using Landau-de Gennes phenomenological theory.
COBISS.SI-ID: 23197735
We were the first to develop two dimensional mesoscopic theory of nematic shells on closed surfaces exhibiting rotational symmetry. We checked validity of theory on several examples by choosing spherical, elliptical and also other geometries. Our results reproduce recent experimental measurements which were so far carried out only in spherical geometry. Our approach is also adequate to study geometrically driven decay and merging of topological defects. Nematic shells are potentially interesting to form scaled crystals with controlled lattice constant.
COBISS.SI-ID: 17960200