Dynamic complex liquid crystal emulsions

Research overview:

Liquid crystal emulsions are emerging as a powerful platform for creating adaptive and multifunctional soft materials. Our research focuses on dynamically reconfigurable complex liquid-crystal emulsions (CLEs), in which both droplet morphology (e.g., Janus, double, or core-shell architectures) and internal liquid crystal organization can be reversibly controlled through interfacial chemistry, surfactant balance, and external stimuli. By combining the anisotropy and responsiveness of liquid crystals with the structural versatility of complex emulsions, we aim to create soft matter systems capable of sensing, actuation, communication, and autonomous behavior across multiple length scales. Our work explores how these dynamic CLEs can be transformed into functional materials and integrated devices for:
  1. Adaptive photonics and optics: tunable microlenses, photonic coatings, and micro-lasers with switchable optical responses and omnidirectional structural color.
  2. Soft robotics and active matter: polymerized CLE actuators capable of reversible shape transformations, pumping, directional motion, and stimuli-responsive actuation.
  3. Point-of-care biosensing and environmental sensing: highly sensitive optical and emissive sensing platforms that exploit interfacial molecular recognition, liquid crystal ordering transitions, and topological defects for rapid detection of pathogens, biomarkers, and environmental pollutants.

By combining organic and polymer synthesis, supramolecular design, interfacial chemistry, microfluidics, and advanced manufacturing methods such as 3D printing, we seek to establish CLEs as next-generation soft building blocks bridging self-assembly, photonics, sensing, and life-inspired materials science.

Involved researchers:

Alberto Concellón (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), Cristina Álvarez, Alfonso Gaitan, Miguel Santafé, Almudena Terrel, Mauricio Vera.

Key recent publications:

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2026, 148, 3167-3173. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5c16679 

Adv. Funct. Mater. 2026, 36, e32069. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202532069

Small 2026, 22, e00013. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202600013

Adv. Mater. 2025, 37, 2506100. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202506100

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, 137, e202421162. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202421162

Liq. Cryst. 2024, 51, 2321-2338. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678292.2024.2325587

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, 62, e2023088. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202308857