Liquid Crystals Colloids

Historical background. Introduction to colloids. Introduction to liquid crystals. Topological defects. Overview of experimental techniques. Optical imaging and laser trapping. Overview of soft condensed matter theories. Liquid crystalline ordering of anisotropic particles in isotropic host media. Liquid crystals as dispersing media for colloids. Role of topology and geometry: topological colloids. Colloidal dispersions of metal nanoparticles. Colloidal dispersions of carbon nanoparticles. Liquid crystalline co-dispersions. Plasmonic liquid crystals. Toward new applications