Introducing the Edinburgh Complex Fluids Partnership

I would like to introduce the Edinburgh Complex Fluids Partnership (ECFP), part of the University of Edinburgh.  We provide consultancy to companies working with or producing soft matter materials.  Our services can help improve the shelf-life of products or the processing of formulations.  We work on all sizes of contracts so just get in contact if you are  interested in working with us or finding out more.

Defect Glass published in Science

A Self-Quenched Defect Glass in a Colloid-Nematic Liquid Crystal Composite

Wood T.A., Lintuvuori J. S., Schofield A. B., Marenduzzo D. and Poon W. C. K. Science, 334, 79, 2011.

When colloidal particles are dispersed in a nematic liquid crystal medium the composite exhibits very interesting behaviour.   At volume fractions above 20% it becomes very stiff and, together with rheological data, simulations indicate that a colloidal gel is held together by defect lines percolating through the sample.  These composites could find applications in sensor technologies.