BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Talks.cam//talks.cam.ac.uk// X-WR-CALNAME:Talks.cam BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:Design of micro-confinement for controlled structure formation in non-equilibrium nematic fluids - Ziga Kos (University of Ljubljana ) DTSTART:20190516T092000Z DTEND:20190516T094000Z UID:TALK124561@talks.cam.ac.uk CONTACT:INI IT DESCRIPTION:Nematic fluids can be designed for a specific purpose by chang ing their chemical structure\, or also by changing the properties of the c onfinement. I will discuss how the interface between orientational structu res in non-equilibrium nematic fluids in microfluidic confinement is affec ted by the viscoelastic properties of the nematic\, flow rate\, and shape of the channels [1]. Furthermore\, by combining multiple channels into ju nctions\, we were able to create an advanced platform for generation of va rious topological states\, where the strength of the topological singulari ty in the nematic orientational field is related to the strength of the st agnation point in the junction [2]. The position and strength of the nemat ic defect can be tuned by the number of channels meeting in a junction and the flow rates through the channels. Flow of confined nematics is of furt her interest as the nematic structure can allow for the control of the tra nsport properties in porous materials\, or the external field-induced modu lation of the nematic structure can be designed as a local flow pump\, whi ch is a contribution towards using the internal structure of fluids for ad vanced microfluidic techniques. [1] T. Emer&scaron\;ič\;\, R. Zhang\ , Ž\;. Kos\, S. Č\;opar\, N. Osterman\, J. J. de Pablo\, and U. Tkalec\, Sculpting stable structures in pure liquids\, Sci. Adv. 5\, eaav4 283 (2019). [2] L. Giomi\, Ž\;. Kos\, M. Ravnik\, and A. Sengupta\, C ross-talk between topological defects in different fields revealed by nema tic microfluidics\, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 114\, E5771 (2017). LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Newton Institute END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR