Science, Vol.275, No.5307, 1770-1773, 1997
Novel Colloidal Interactions in Anisotropic Fluids
Small water droplets dispersed in a nematic liquid crystal exhibit a novel class of colloidal interactions, arising from the orientational elastic energy of the anisotropic host fluid. These interactions include a short-range repulsion and a long-range dipolar attraction, and they lead to the formation of anisotropic chainlike structures by the colloidal particles, The repulsive interaction can lead to novel mechanisms for colloid stabilization.
Keywords:PARTICLES