New research reveals that liquid crystals can form dynamic structures that mimic biological transport systems, suggesting potential applications in creating self-assembling materials and modeling biological systems.
Liquid crystals are everywhere. They are used in numerous applications, such as cell phone screens, video game consoles, car dashboards, and medical devices. Due to the unique properties of these fluids, if you run an electric current through liquid crystal displays (LCDs), they generate colors: rearrange their shape, and they will reflect different wavelengths of light.
New Discoveries in Liquid Crystal Structures
Now, researchers at the lab of Chinedum Osuji, Eduardo D. Glandt Presidential Professor and Chair of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, have discovered these remarkable crystals may be able to do even more. Under the right conditions, liquid crystals condense into astonishing structures, spontaneously generating filaments and flattened discs that can transport material from one place to another, much like complex biological systems. This insight may lead to self-assembling materials, new ways to model cellular activity, and more.
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