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Phase chirality and stereo-selective swelling of cholesteric elastomers

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Abstract.

Cholesteric elastomers possess a macroscopic “phase chirality” as the director \(\it {n}\) rotates in a helical fashion along an optical axis z and can be described by a chiral order parameter \(\alpha\). This parameter can be tuned by changing the helix pitch p and the elastic properties of the network at formation. The cholesterics also possess a local nematic order, changing with temperature or during solvent swelling. In this paper, by measuring the power of optical rotation \(d \Psi/d z\), we discover how these two parameters vary as functions of temperature or solvent adsorbed by the network. The main result is a finding of pronounced stereo-selectivity of cholesteric elastomers, demonstrating itself in the retention of the “correct” chirality component of a racemic solvent. It has been possible to quantify the amount of such stereo-separation, and the basic dynamics of the effect.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, CB3 0HE, Cambridge, UK

    S. Courty, A. R. Tajbakhsh & E. M. Terentjev

Authors
  1. S. Courty
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  2. A. R. Tajbakhsh
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  3. E. M. Terentjev
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Correspondence to E. M. Terentjev.

Additional information

Received: 18 August 2003, Published online: 5 February 2004

PACS:

33.55.Ad Optical activity, optical rotation; circular dichroism - 61.30.Vx Polymer liquid crystals - 87.80.Pa Morphometry and stereology

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Courty, S., Tajbakhsh, A.R. & Terentjev, E.M. Phase chirality and stereo-selective swelling of cholesteric elastomers. Eur. Phys. J. E 12, 617–625 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/e2004-00034-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/e2004-00034-3

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