Coupling of heat and mechanical motion in chiral liquid crystals

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K17739
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biological physics/Chemical physics/Soft matter physics
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (2016-2017); Waseda University (2015)
• Principal Investigator: Yoshioka Jun 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 創発物性科学研究センター, 特別研究員 (50708542)
• Research Collaborator: Yuka Tabe ; Fumiya Ito ; Fumito Araoka
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 液晶 / 非平衡 / 温度勾配 / 回転

Outline of Final Research Achievements

When temperature gradient is applied to the droplets formed by cholesteric liquid crystals (Ch droplets), a rotational motion is induced. We experimentally analyzed the physical mechanism of this phenomenon. As a result, it was found that the rotation was driven effectively when the Ch droplet has the helical structure along the temperature gradient, and that a convective flow was induced in the droplet when the gradient was applied. These results suggest that the rotational motion is induced when the material flow goes through the helical structure of the Ch droplets, just like a propeller.

Free Research Field

液晶