Morimitsu Yuma, Browne Christopher A, Liu Zhe, Severino Paul G, Gopinadhan Manesh, Sirota Eric B, Altintas Ozcan, Edmond Kazem V, Osuji Chinedum O
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Sep 24;121(39):e2407914121. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2407914121. Epub 2024 Sep 13.
Liquid-liquid phase separation, whereby two liquids spontaneously demix, is ubiquitous in industrial, environmental, and biological processes. While isotropic fluids are known to condense into spherical droplets in the binodal region, these dynamics are poorly understood for structured fluids. Here, we report the unique observation of condensate networks, which spontaneously assemble during the demixing of a mesogen from a solvent. Condensing mesogens form rapidly elongating filaments, rather than spheres, to relieve distortion of an internal smectic mesophase. As filaments densify, they collapse into bulged discs, lowering the elastic free energy. Additional distortion is relieved by retraction of filaments into the discs, which are straightened under tension to form a ramified network. Understanding and controlling these dynamics may provide different avenues to direct pattern formation or template materials.
液-液相分离，即两种液体自发混合，在工业、环境和生物过程中普遍存在。虽然已知各向同性流体在双节线区域会凝聚成球形液滴，但对于结构化流体的这些动力学却知之甚少。在这里，我们报告了凝聚网络的独特观察结果，它在液晶元与溶剂分离过程中自发组装。凝聚的液晶元形成迅速伸长的细丝，而不是球体，以缓解内部近晶中间相的畸变。随着细丝致密化，它们坍缩成凸起的圆盘，降低弹性自由能。细丝缩回圆盘可缓解额外的畸变，圆盘在张力作用下变直形成分支网络。理解和控制这些动力学可能为指导图案形成或模板材料提供不同途径。
