Mobius strip ties liquid crystal in knots to produce tomorrow's materials and photonic devices
...they simulated adding a micron sized silica particle – or colloid – to the liquid crystal. This disrupts the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules.
For example, a colloid in the shape of a sphere will cause the liquid crystal molecules to align perpendicular to the surface of the sphere, a bit like a hedgehog's spikes.
Using a theoretical model, the University of Warwick scientists have taken this principle and extended it to colloids which have a knotted shape in the form a Möbius strip...
By adding these specially designed knotted particles they force the liquid crystal to take on the same structure, creating a knot in the liquid crystal...
"Recently it has been demonstrated that knots can be created in a variety of natural settings including electromagnetic fields, laser light, fluid vortices and liquid crystals.
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