Liquid crystal torons in Poiseuille-like flows
Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) simulations of the structure of liquid crystal (LC) torons, topologically protected distortions of the LC director field, under material flows are rare but essential in microfluidic applications. Here, we show that torons adopt a steady-state configuration at low flow...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-83294-7 |
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| author | Guilherme N. C. Amaral Hanqing Zhao Mahmoud Sedahmed Tomás Campante Ivan I. Smalyukh Mykola Tasinkevych Margarida M. Telo da Gama Rodrigo C. V. Coelho |
| author_facet | Guilherme N. C. Amaral Hanqing Zhao Mahmoud Sedahmed Tomás Campante Ivan I. Smalyukh Mykola Tasinkevych Margarida M. Telo da Gama Rodrigo C. V. Coelho |
| author_sort | Guilherme N. C. Amaral |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) simulations of the structure of liquid crystal (LC) torons, topologically protected distortions of the LC director field, under material flows are rare but essential in microfluidic applications. Here, we show that torons adopt a steady-state configuration at low flow velocity before disintegrating at higher velocities, in line with experimental results. Furthermore, we show that under partial slip conditions at the boundaries, the flow induces a reversible elongation of the torons, also consistent with the experimental observations. These results are in contrast with previous simulation results for 2D skyrmions under similar flow conditions, highlighting the need for a 3D description of this LC soliton in relation to its coupling to the material flow. These findings pave the way for future studies of other topological solitons, like hopfions and heliknotons, in flowing soft matter systems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-491cd75a7070441993791bd2084f9a3b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-491cd75a7070441993791bd2084f9a3b2025-01-26T12:26:55ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111010.1038/s41598-024-83294-7Liquid crystal torons in Poiseuille-like flowsGuilherme N. C. Amaral0Hanqing Zhao1Mahmoud Sedahmed2Tomás Campante3Ivan I. Smalyukh4Mykola Tasinkevych5Margarida M. Telo da Gama6Rodrigo C. V. Coelho7Centro de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de LisboaDepartment of Physics and Soft Materials Research Center, University of Colorado BoulderIndependent researcherCentro de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de LisboaDepartment of Physics and Soft Materials Research Center, University of Colorado BoulderCentro de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de LisboaCentro de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de LisboaCentro de Física Teórica e Computacional, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de LisboaAbstract Three-dimensional (3D) simulations of the structure of liquid crystal (LC) torons, topologically protected distortions of the LC director field, under material flows are rare but essential in microfluidic applications. Here, we show that torons adopt a steady-state configuration at low flow velocity before disintegrating at higher velocities, in line with experimental results. Furthermore, we show that under partial slip conditions at the boundaries, the flow induces a reversible elongation of the torons, also consistent with the experimental observations. These results are in contrast with previous simulation results for 2D skyrmions under similar flow conditions, highlighting the need for a 3D description of this LC soliton in relation to its coupling to the material flow. These findings pave the way for future studies of other topological solitons, like hopfions and heliknotons, in flowing soft matter systems.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-83294-7 |
| spellingShingle | Guilherme N. C. Amaral Hanqing Zhao Mahmoud Sedahmed Tomás Campante Ivan I. Smalyukh Mykola Tasinkevych Margarida M. Telo da Gama Rodrigo C. V. Coelho Liquid crystal torons in Poiseuille-like flows Scientific Reports |
| title | Liquid crystal torons in Poiseuille-like flows |
| title_full | Liquid crystal torons in Poiseuille-like flows |
| title_fullStr | Liquid crystal torons in Poiseuille-like flows |
| title_full_unstemmed | Liquid crystal torons in Poiseuille-like flows |
| title_short | Liquid crystal torons in Poiseuille-like flows |
| title_sort | liquid crystal torons in poiseuille like flows |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-83294-7 |
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