Project description DEENESFRITPL Merging soft matter fields may lead to micromachines with minds of their own Water melts directly from solid crystalline ice into liquid water. Some materials exhibit an intermediate phase. The molecules of these so-called liquid crystals self-organise in ways that their orientation resists certain deformations despite 'flowing'. This ordering is relevant to concepts from biological membrane organisation to liquid crystal displays for consumer products. Liquid crystal colloids are an exciting integration of liquid crystals and colloids; here colloidal particles are dispersed in a liquid crystal medium unlike conventional liquids. Self-assembly in such systems can lead to emergent physical behaviours akin to those of biological systems. The EU-funded [LC]2 project plans to harness these properties to drive the self-assembly of active nematics – biomimetic, autonomously motile, liquid crystal colloidal mini-machines. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective We propose an unprecedented class of soft, self-assembled and self-motile micro-machines. The combined qualities of active fluids and colloidal liquid crystals can be leveraged to design intrinsically out-of- equilibrium hierarchal structures, or ‘Living’ Colloidal Liquid Crystals [LC]2. The study of colloidal interactions and self-assembly in active nematics has yet to be considered and constitutes an unexplored and inter-disciplinary application of the emerging sciences of active matter and colloidal liquid crystals. Activity will endow dynamical multi-scale colloidal structures with autonomous functionality, including self-motility, self-revolution and dynamical self-transformations, which are exactly the characteristics one would desire for a first generation of autonomous components of micro-biomechanical systems and soft micro-machines. As hybrids between biological active fluids and man-made materials, [LC]2 structures represent an early foray into ‘living’ metamaterials, in which active self-assembly of simple components produces a rich diversity of behaviours and the potential for autonomously tunable material properties, mimicking biological complexity. In particular, we hypothesize self-assembled [LC]2 dimer turbines, colloidal flagella and ant-like group retrieval. These systems represent a fundamentally innovative concept that we propose to drive nanotechnology into a new future of soft materials that biomimetically self-assemble and autonomously enact functions. It is our multiscale coarse-grained simulations and expertise in flowing active nematic fluids that generates the opportunity for this unique line of research. Fields of science engineering and technologynanotechnologyengineering and technologymaterials engineeringliquid crystals Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2019-STG - ERC Starting Grant Call for proposal ERC-2019-STG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-STG - Starting Grant Coordinator THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH Net EU contribution € 1 358 083,65 Address Old college, south bridge EH8 9YL Edinburgh United Kingdom See on map Region Scotland Eastern Scotland Edinburgh Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Beneficiaries (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 1 358 083,65 Address Old college, south bridge EH8 9YL Edinburgh See on map Region Scotland Eastern Scotland Edinburgh Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY Participation ended United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 44 261,35 Address Ashby road LE11 3TU Loughborough See on map Region East Midlands (England) Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire Leicestershire CC and Rutland Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
