Fig. 1.
Disclinations in Ch-CNC droplets. (A and B) BF and (C and D) POM images of Ch-CNC droplets (A and C) and Ch-CNC droplets loaded with latex NPs at ϕNP = 2.35 × 10−2 (B and D). The CNC volume fraction, ϕ0, in the droplets was 4.5 × 10−2. The arrows show the disclinations. (Scale bars, 50 μm.) (E) PolScope image of the droplet with pseudocolors showing the variation of optical retardance. (F) Optical retardance plotted vs. radial distance as in E for defect-free direction (1) and for the direction (2) along the +2 core.