From colloids in liquid crystals to colloidal liquid crystals

ABSTRACT

Liquid crystals in combination with nanoparticles are a fascinating topic of research, because of the wealth of aspects and questions to study. These range from simple effects of nanoparticles on phase transitions and phase diagrams, to the tuning of physical properties, adding of novel functionalities, all the way to the formation of spontaneous order by nanoparticles themselves and the possibilities that templating has for future materials design and applications. This article intends to provide a flavour of the multiplicity, variety and diversity that these thermotropic and lyotropic systems have to offer in the area of materials development, which we believe will become increasingly important, especially for switchable non-display applications and nanotechnology. It is not intended to provide a conclusive overview, which would be a presumptuous attempt considering the limited space available, but rather to place our own work into a wider context and to point out some more recent developments and trends in liquid crystal – nanoparticle dispersions.

Graphical abstract

We provide a broad overview of the recent developments in the fields of dispersions of nanoparticles in thermotropic liquid crystal hosts, as well as the formation of lyotropic liquid crystal phases from shape-anisotropic colloids in isotropic hosts. Such systems have attracted increasing interest in recent years for the stabilization of phases, the tuning of physical properties, the addition of novel functionalities and for templating self-organized order.

KEYWORDS:

• Colloids
• liquid crystals
• thermotropic
• lyotropic
• dispersions

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.