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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Advanced Science

Thermal Control of Concentric Topographies Patterned by Dynamic Electro‐Templated Generated Chiral Solitonic Structures

  • Jacques A. Peixoto1,2
  • Hanqing Zhao3
  • Dirk J. Broer1,2
  • Ivan I. Smalyukh3,4,5,6
  • Danqing Liu1,2
6 affiliations
  1. 1Laboratory of Human Interactive Materials (HIM), Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology Eindhoven AZ The Netherlands
  2. 2Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS) Eindhoven University of Technology Eindhoven MB The Netherlands
  3. 3Department of Physics University of Colorado Boulder Colorado USA
  4. 4Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering Program University of Colorado Boulder Colorado USA
  5. 5Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute, National Renewable Energy Laboratory University of Colorado Boulder Colorado USA
  6. 6International Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Meta Matter (WPI‐SKCM2) Hiroshima University 1‐3‐1 Kagamiyama Higashi‐Hiroshima Hiroshima Japan
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Abstract

Topological solitons in chiral nematic liquid crystals offer an elegant route to program complex director fields and dynamic surface responses. However, controlling these structures with spatial precision and scalability remains a key challenge. Here, an electro‐templating strategy is introduced to control the relaxation of cholesteric finger loops, enabling the generation of discrete, concentric solitonic ring structures with programmable geometry. This process exploits the structural multistability stemming from the interplay between the tendency to twist at a rate of helical pitch and confinement, allowing for on‐demand formation of multi‐ring architectures governed by relaxation dynamics in response to pre‐designed voltage driving. Upon photopolymerization, the resulting polymer retains the topological configuration of the soliton and exhibits thermally induced, reversible surface modulation, forming castle‐like structures with a central pillar and tunable concentric walls. Supported by theoretical modeling, this approach offers a scalable platform for encoding highly resolved hierarchical topological features into soft materials, opening new opportunities for responsive coatings and adaptive optics.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{peixoto2026thermal,
  title = {{Thermal Control of Concentric Topographies Patterned by Dynamic Electro‐Templated Generated Chiral Solitonic Structures}},
  author = {Jacques A. Peixoto and Hanqing Zhao and Dirk J. Broer and Ivan I. Smalyukh and Danqing Liu},
  journal = {Advanced Science},
  year = {2026},
  month = jul,
  doi = {10.1002/advs.76885},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.76885},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Thermal Control of Concentric Topographies Patterned by Dynamic Electro‐Templated Generated Chiral Solitonic Structures
AU  - Jacques A. Peixoto
AU  - Hanqing Zhao
AU  - Dirk J. Broer
AU  - Ivan I. Smalyukh
AU  - Danqing Liu
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/29
JO  - Advanced Science
DO  - 10.1002/advs.76885
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.76885
AB  - Topological solitons in chiral nematic liquid crystals offer an elegant route to program complex director fields and dynamic surface responses. However, controlling these structures with spatial precision and scalability remains a key challenge. Here, an electro‐templating strategy is introduced to control the relaxation of cholesteric finger loops, enabling the generation of discrete, concentric solitonic ring structures with programmable geometry. This process exploits the structural multistability stemming from the interplay between the tendency to twist at a rate of helical pitch and confinement, allowing for on‐demand formation of multi‐ring architectures governed by relaxation dynamics in response to pre‐designed voltage driving. Upon photopolymerization, the resulting polymer retains the topological configuration of the soliton and exhibits thermally induced, reversible surface modulation, forming castle‐like structures with a central pillar and tunable concentric walls. Supported by theoretical modeling, this approach offers a scalable platform for encoding highly resolved hierarchical topological features into soft materials, opening new opportunities for responsive coatings and adaptive optics.
SN  - 2198-3844
ER  -