Twist-grain boundary phase induced by Au nanoparticles in a chiral liquid crystal host |
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| Authors: | Maja Tr?ek George Cordoyiannis Brigita Ro?i? Vassilios Tzitzios George Nounesis Samo Kralj |
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| Institution: | 1. Condensed Matter Physics Department, Jo?ef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia;2. Department of Physics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou, Greece;3. Biomolecular Physics Laboratory, National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Aghia Paraskevi, Greece;4. Institut des Nano-Sciences de Paris (INSP), UPMC Univ Paris 06, Paris, France;5. Biomolecular Physics Laboratory, National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Aghia Paraskevi, Greece;6. Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia |
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| Abstract: | We report on the stabilisation of the liquid-crystalline, twist-grain boundary A (TGBA) phase in mixtures of a chiral liquid crystal and surface-functionalised spherical Au nanoparticles (NPs) of 10 nm diameter. The results, obtained by calorimetric, optical, small-angle X-ray and plasmon resonance measurements, demonstrate that a TGBA phase, which is metastable for the pure liquid crystal host, can be effectively stabilised for a 3 K range in the presence of NPs. Moreover, the role of NPs size on the TGBA stabilisation is briefly discussed. |
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| Keywords: | Gold nanoparticles calorimetry liquid crystals twist-grain boundary phase SAXS plasmon resonance |
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