Researchers have synthesized crystals of elongated gold bipyramids and have described their optimal packing in three-dimensional assemblies. This result, at the crossroads of chemistry and geometry, offers prospects for the …
Currently only amateur astronomers observe Mars in a global and continuous way when the planet is closer to the Earth (“opposition”). A part of these enthusiasts has been aggregated to …
The Matrix team is pleased to wish you a Happy New Year 2022! The laboratory’s greeting card is illustrated by a Fréedericksz transition in a biaxial smectic phase.
The teaching of experimental physics at the Master’s level has recently undergone a notable evolution thanks to the setting up of platforms equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, similar to that used …
Liquid-crystal (LC) displays exploit a physical phenomenon called the Fréedericksz transition. This effect is only observed with “nematic” LCs which are fluids of rod-like molecules aligned in the same direction. …
The study of ultra-confined fluids opens a very large field concerning nano-flows and it highlights the determining role of interfaces in new structures of liquids such as water. The development …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
