synthesis-biocompatible-liquid-crystal-elastomer-foams-as-cell

Synthesis of Biocompatible Liquid Crystal Elastomer Foams as Cell Scaffolds for 3D Spatial Cell Cultures

Here, we present a step-by-step preparation of a 3D, biodegradable, foam-like cell scaffold. These scaffolds were prepared by cross-linking star block ...

an-ex-vivo-porcine-model-for-hydrodynamic-testing-experimental-aortic

An <em>Ex Vivo</em> Porcine Model for Hydrodynamic Testing of Experimental Aortic Valve Procedures and Novel Medical Devices

The options for testing new cardiac procedures and investigative medical devices prior to use in an animal model are limited. In this study, we present a ...

Kent State University

Columbia University Medical Center

We report optical birefringence data for a series of mixtures of the liquid crystals octylcyanobiphenyl (8CB) and decylcyanobiphenyl (10CB). Nematic order parameter S data in the nematic and smectic A phases have been derived from phase angle changes obtained in temperature scans with a rotating analyzer method. These S values have been used to arrive at values for possible entropy discontinuities at the smectic A to nematic phase transition temperature T_{NA}. The 10CB mole fraction dependence of the obtained entropy discontinuities could be well fitted with a crossover function consistent with the mean-field free-energy expression with a nonzero cubic term arising from the coupling between the smectic-A order parameter and the orientational order parameter director fluctuations in the Halperin-Lubensky-Ma theory. The obtained results are in good agreement with existing results from adiabatic scanning calorimetry. By exploiting the fact that the temperature derivative of the order parameter S(T) near T_{NA} exhibits the same power law divergence as the specific heat capacity, we have extracted the effective critical exponent α values for the compositions under study. The critical exponent α has been observed to reach the tricritical value α_{TCP}=0.5 for the 10CB mole fraction of x=0.330.

Test of Halperin-Lubensky-Ma crossover function at the N-Sm-A transition in liquid crystal binary mixtures via high-resolution birefringence measurements.

Senay Ustunel

Liquid Crystal Institute

Kent State University

Synthesis of Biocompatible Liquid Crystal Elastomer Foams as Cell Scaffolds for 3D Spatial Cell Cultures

An Ex Vivo Porcine Model for Hydrodynamic Testing of Experimental Aortic Valve Procedures and Novel Medical Devices