Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/S59833/01
Title:	Anchoring of liquid crystals on self-assembled monolayers
Principal Investigator:	Cleaver, Professor D
Other Investigators:	Care, Professor CM
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Materials Research Institute
Organisation:	Sheffield Hallam University
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	07 October 2004	Ends:	06 April 2008	Value (£):	85,355
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Materials Characterisation
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Chemicals Electronics
Related Grants:	GR/S59826/01
Panel History:	Panel Date Panel Name Outcome 26 Jun 2003 Joint Photonics Prioritisation Panel (Tech) Jun 03 Deferred
Summary on Grant Application Form
We wish to employ a combination of molecular and mesoscopic simulation techniques to explore the structure and dynamics of liquid crystals adsorbed at patterned substrates. These simulations will be performed in collaboration with an parallel experimental project carried out at the University of Leeds in which a range of patterned/structured devices will be created by chemically patterning the boundaries using self-assembled monolayers. Our molecular simulations will concentrate on the anchoring and defect phenomena associated with very short wavelength patterns (the nano-patterened regime) for which optical experimental techniques are unable to resolve the surface-region structures that underlie the device-scale observable patterns. The microscopic information given by the simulations in this limit will be used to guide nano-patterning approaches used in the experimental project with a view, for example, to producing surface-bistable cells. In addition, we shall use mesoscopic (Lattice-Boltzmann) simulations to model both the longer length-scale statics of nematics on patterned substrates and the switching dynamics associated with any surface bistability. Finally, the dynamics associated with the motion of a nematic-isotropic interface across a patterned substrate will be studied using Lattice-Boltzmann simulation and compared with experimental investigations.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk Summary Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:	http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/meri/research/confined-liquid-crystals-%E2%80%93-bistability-and-patterning
Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.shu.ac.uk