Golden Wedding for Liquid Crystals

This film presents the researches done at the CEMES (Center for the elaboration of materials and for structural studies), led by Michel Mitov, concerning the molecules of cholesteric liquid crystals. These molecules gather to form helicoidal structures which reflect selectively the light, a phenomenon that depends on the helice thread. Found commonly into nature, they are also largely use in the industry, to product thermal detectors or cosmetics for instance. A new use has been discovered by the CEMES: the researchers take them to produce golden nanoparticles networks differently shaped (lines, double spirals, targets).