3rd Cross-Divisional Materials Research Program Unit Leaders' Special Seminar
Speaker
Dr. Fumito Araoka (Unit Leader, Physicochemical Soft Matter Research Unit, RIKEN CEMS)
Date
13:30 - 14:30, September 6, 2017 (Wednesday)
Venue
Okochi-Hall, RIKEN
Title
Soft matter research through liquid crystals as an ideal model system
Abstract
Soft matters, such as polymers, liquid crystals, colloids, gels, biological membranes, etc., are one of condensed matter systems, which are soft, therefore, structurally deformed by various external stimuli, mechanical stress, etc. Essential of soft matters is “self-organization”. Basically, “self-organization” takes place through compresence of fluidity and self-ordering, and hence the resulting structures and properties are influenced sensitively by both of inherent material properties and surrounding environmental conditions. In order to study such multifarious structures and properties in which many interesting physical/physicochemical phenomena emerge, particular attention has been paid to liquid crystals due to their self-organizability and sensitivity to environmental conditions. In this presentation, diverse liquid crystal systems and their unique physical properties will be presented, based on polarity, chirality, surface/interface frustrations, and topological features.
