AI Article Synopsis

  • The concept of transformation trajectories is introduced to analyze how nematic shells evolve based on defect locations and director fields, influenced by varying elastic anisotropy and shell thickness.
  • Experiments and numerical simulations show that thickness heterogeneity arises from symmetry breaking due to buoyancy and liquid crystal elasticity, independent of elastic anisotropy.
  • Elastic anisotropy, especially disfavored bend distortion, causes asymmetric reorganization of defects, leading to stable or metastable shell states.

Article Abstract

We introduce the idea of transformation trajectories to describe the evolution of nematic shells in terms of defect locations and director field when the elastic anisotropy and the shell thickness heterogeneity vary. Experiments are compared to numerical results to clarify the exact role played by these two parameters. We demonstrate that heterogeneity in thickness is a result of a symmetry breaking initiated by buoyancy and enhanced by liquid crystal elasticity, and is irrespective of the elastic anisotropy. In contrast, elastic anisotropy--in particular, disfavored bend distortion--drives an asymmetric defect reorganization. These shell states can be both stable or metastable.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.86.020705DOI Listing

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