Characterization of Martensitic Phase Transformations in Blue Phase Liquid Crystals Using Resonant Soft X-ray Scattering

ORAL

Abstract

In this work, we introduce resonant soft X-ray scattering (RSoXS)[1] to study the martensitic transformation of blue phase (BP) liquid crystals (LCs).[2] The combination of RSoXS and single crystal BP LCs—directed and stabilized by the chemically-nanopatterned surfaces—enable to provide a clear picture of how the BP lattice symmetry and molecular orientations change during this transformation. In particular, twin lamellae formation is observed during martensitic transformation to release the residual strain caused by the rapid martensitic transformation. We anticipate that these experiments will provide one of the most comprehensive studies yet of BP and, therefore, soft matter martensitic phase transformations.

[1] B. A. Collins et al., Nat. Mater. 11, 536 (2012).
[2] X. Li, et al., P.N.A.S. 114, 10011 (2017).

*This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology under the award 70NHNB14H012 as part of the Center for Hierarchical Materials Design. This research used the cleanroom resources at the Center for Nanoscale Materials, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science user facility operated by Argonne National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.

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Presenters

  • Xiao Li

    • Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago
    • University of Chicago

Authors

  • Hyeongmin Jin

    • Northwestern Argonne Institute of Science and Engineering, Northwestern University

  • Xiao Li

    • Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago
    • University of Chicago

  • James Dolan

    • Institute for Molecular Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory
    • Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago

  • R. Joseph Kline

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology

  • Paul F Nealey

    • Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago
    • University of Chicago
    • Institute for Molecular Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory