Flowing Liquid Crystal Torons Around Obstacles

Liquid crystal torons, localized topological structures, are known for their stability and dynamic behaviour in response to external stimuli, making them attractive for advanced material applications. In this study, we investigate the flow of torons in chiral nematic liquid crystals around obstacles...

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Main Authors: Júlio P. A. Santos, Mahmoud Sedahmed, Rodrigo C. V. Coelho, Margarida M. Telo da Gama
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Micromachines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/15/11/1302
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author Júlio P. A. Santos
Mahmoud Sedahmed
Rodrigo C. V. Coelho
Margarida M. Telo da Gama
author_facet Júlio P. A. Santos
Mahmoud Sedahmed
Rodrigo C. V. Coelho
Margarida M. Telo da Gama
author_sort Júlio P. A. Santos
collection DOAJ
description Liquid crystal torons, localized topological structures, are known for their stability and dynamic behaviour in response to external stimuli, making them attractive for advanced material applications. In this study, we investigate the flow of torons in chiral nematic liquid crystals around obstacles. We simulate the fluid flow and director field interactions using a hybrid numerical method combining lattice Boltzmann and finite difference techniques. Our results reveal that the toron dynamical behaviour depends strongly on the impact parameter from the obstacle. At impact parameters smaller than half cholesteric pitch, the flowing toron is destabilized by the interaction with the obstacle; otherwise, the flowing toron follows a trajectory with a deflection which decays exponentially with the impact parameter. Additionally, we explore the scattering of torons by multiple obstacles, providing insights into how the dynamics of these structures respond to complex environments.
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institution OA Journals
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record_format Article
series Micromachines
spelling doaj-art-2a72640a43ae4ee299d09c9ffd1260052025-08-20T02:05:06ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2024-10-011511130210.3390/mi15111302Flowing Liquid Crystal Torons Around ObstaclesJúlio P. A. Santos0Mahmoud Sedahmed1Rodrigo C. V. Coelho2Margarida M. Telo da Gama3Centro de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, PortugalIndependent Researcher, Cairo 11528, EgyptCentro de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, PortugalCentro de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, PortugalLiquid crystal torons, localized topological structures, are known for their stability and dynamic behaviour in response to external stimuli, making them attractive for advanced material applications. In this study, we investigate the flow of torons in chiral nematic liquid crystals around obstacles. We simulate the fluid flow and director field interactions using a hybrid numerical method combining lattice Boltzmann and finite difference techniques. Our results reveal that the toron dynamical behaviour depends strongly on the impact parameter from the obstacle. At impact parameters smaller than half cholesteric pitch, the flowing toron is destabilized by the interaction with the obstacle; otherwise, the flowing toron follows a trajectory with a deflection which decays exponentially with the impact parameter. Additionally, we explore the scattering of torons by multiple obstacles, providing insights into how the dynamics of these structures respond to complex environments.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/15/11/1302liquid crystalstopologyhydrodynamicslattice Boltzmann method
spellingShingle Júlio P. A. Santos
Mahmoud Sedahmed
Rodrigo C. V. Coelho
Margarida M. Telo da Gama
Flowing Liquid Crystal Torons Around Obstacles
Micromachines
liquid crystals
topology
hydrodynamics
lattice Boltzmann method
title Flowing Liquid Crystal Torons Around Obstacles
title_full Flowing Liquid Crystal Torons Around Obstacles
title_fullStr Flowing Liquid Crystal Torons Around Obstacles
title_full_unstemmed Flowing Liquid Crystal Torons Around Obstacles
title_short Flowing Liquid Crystal Torons Around Obstacles
title_sort flowing liquid crystal torons around obstacles
topic liquid crystals
topology
hydrodynamics
lattice Boltzmann method
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/15/11/1302
work_keys_str_mv AT juliopasantos flowingliquidcrystaltoronsaroundobstacles
AT mahmoudsedahmed flowingliquidcrystaltoronsaroundobstacles
AT rodrigocvcoelho flowingliquidcrystaltoronsaroundobstacles
AT margaridamtelodagama flowingliquidcrystaltoronsaroundobstacles