Dynamically reconfigurable complex liquid crystal emulsions

Abstract

ABSTRACT Complex emulsions, containing liquid crystals (LCs) and immiscible oils such as fluorocarbon or silicone oils, present innovative functionalities in soft materials. These emulsions exhibit dynamic reconfiguration in droplet morphology and internal LC organisation, expanding applications in optics, sensing, and active matter. This review highlights the evolution and potential of LC-containing complex emulsions. Emphasis is placed on emulsions featuring dynamic and reversible morphological transformations and LC reorganisation, underpinning their suitability for tunable micro-lenses, chemical sensing, and biosensing. Nematic LCs within complex emulsions allow for topological defect-driven functionalization, attaching antibodies to induce substantial changes in the LC director field upon interfacial recognition events. This feature may facilitate the development of ultrasensitive chemical and biological sensors. Moreover, cholesteric LCs, through their selective reflection, enable the rapid and sensitive detection of foodborne pathogens. The controlled assembly of magnetic nanoparticles at interfaces illustrates advancements towards magnetic field-responsive and active colloids. Future perspectives include exploiting these properties for intelligent colloidal systems capable of autonomous behaviour, and furthering applications in dynamic photonic devices, high-security identification tags, and responsive lens systems.