What is the origin of chirality in the cholesteric phase of virus suspensions ?

Details What is the origin of chirality in the cholesteric phase of virus suspensions ? What is the origin of chirality in the cholesteric phase of virus suspensions ?

2003-02-04

arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0302073v1

Physics

Condensed Matter

Soft Condensed Matter

5 pages, 5 figures

Scientific paper

10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.198302

We report a study of the cholesteric phase in monodisperse suspensions of the rod-like virus fd sterically stabilized with the polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG). After coating the virus with neutral polymers, the phase diagram and nematic order parameter of the fd-PEG system then become independent of ionic strength. Surprisingly, the fd-PEG suspensions not only continue to exhibit a cholesteric phase, which means that the grafted polymer does not screen all chiral interactions between rods, but paradoxically the cholesteric pitch of this sterically stabilized fd-PEG system varies with ionic strength. Furthermore, we observe that the cholesteric pitch decreases with increasing viral contour length, in contrast to theories which predict the opposite trend. Different models of the origin of chirality in colloidal liquid crystals are discussed.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

What is the origin of chirality in the cholesteric phase of virus suspensions ? does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with What is the origin of chirality in the cholesteric phase of virus suspensions ?, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and What is the origin of chirality in the cholesteric phase of virus suspensions ? will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-269270