Research interests
Dr. Ingo Dierking
1. Chirality in anisotropic fluids
Introduction of chirality to anisotropic fluids leads to a variety of new phenomena, such as the formation of helical superstructures, the appearance of novel frustrated phases and polar effects. In this context, we measure optical properties to deduce structures and study ferroelectric materials with respect to their Landau potential, which we determine experimentally.
2. Polymer modified liquid crystals
Polymer stabilised liquid crystals offer potential for applicational use in reflective displays. At the same time, the underlying fundamental physics of these systems, polymer network morphology, interactions between liquid crystal and polymer network are far from being understood on a quantitative basis. We currently study the properties of polymer modified ferroelectric liquid crystals.
3. Growth and coarsening in liquid crystalline systems
The growth of nuclei of a thermodynamically favoured phase after a temperature quench across a phase transition can be described by simple universal scaling laws, just as well as the coarsening dynamics at later time scales (Ostwald ripening, defect annihilation). We investigate observed scaling behaviour on a range of systems, including fractal structures in soft matter materials.
4. Liquid crystal – particle dispersions
The self-organising properties of liquid crystals can be used to transfer orientational order onto dispersed nanotubes. These can then be reoriented by application of electric, magnetic or optical fields, leading to externally steered nanotube switches. We also study the behaviour of micro-particles in liquid crystals under application of electric fields.
