A new collective book on liquid crystals
The story of liquid crystals is that of transgression of frontiers and of breaking of common beliefs. Indeed, liquid crystals were discovered by a biochemist, Friedrich Reinitzer, who shared his …
Perfect assemblies of gold nanoparticles
Nanoparticles can assemble in periodic structures, like atoms, called supercrystals. There are many applications for these materials (from catalysis to detection) but they require regular assemblies with as few defects …
New artificial fibres made of inorganic nanotubes
Mankind’s relationship with fibres goes back thousands of years, but in the last century we have moved beyond natural plant and animal-based yarns (silk, wool) to develop stronger, more versatile …
An ocean of microplastics tracked at the nanoscale
What is the fate of polymer debris in the ocean? Aging of polyethylene packaging after prolonged marine exposure has been tracked at the nanoscale. A recent work demonstrates that the …
Formation of the “splay-bend” nematic by the action of an electric field
The most common technology used nowadays in displays and screens is based on the properties of « nematic » liquid crystals. The existence of two new types of nematic liquid crystals was …
Inorganic Nanotube Mesophases Enable Strong Self-Healing Fibers
Macroscopic assembly of nanomaterials in fibers can improve their mechanical characteristics and add new functions. One-dimensional nanomaterials are particularly suited to the uniaxial geometry of fibers. Researchers at Imperial College …
A new member in the team
The first scattering image (from quartz powder) has been obtained on the MODIX setup! Congratulations to our colleagues (from left to right): Gilles Guillier, Denis Petermann, Marianne Impéror-Clerc and Stéphan …