A universal multistage cascade CSTR has been developed that is suitable for a wide range of continuous-flow processes. Coined by our group the “Freactor” (free-to-access reactor), the new reactor integrates the efficiency of pipe-flow processing with the advanced mixing of a CSTR, delivering a general “plug-and-play” reactor platform which is well-suited to multiphasic continuous-flow chemistry. Importantly, the reactor geometry is easily customized to accommodate reactions requiring long residence times (≥3 h tested).

A family of acrylate-based isotropic Liquid Crystal Elastomers (LCEs) exhibit stress-and strain-optic coefficients orders of magnitude greater than conventional polymeric and photoelastic materials. The three materials, composed of liquid crystalline and nonliquid crystalline monomers, show no nematic phase at any temperature. One of the materials has previously been synthesized with nematic symmetry, but here is instead templated with isotropic symmetry, demonstrating a previously unrealized idea proposed by de Gennes in 1969. Uniaxial strains applied to each material induce nematic ordering which we quantify using dye-absorption spectra and polarized Raman Spectroscopy. We deduce the coupling constants between the nematic liquid crystal order parameter and applied strain varies between 0.37 ± 0.02 and 0.66 ± 0.02values large compared to other LCE systems. The combination of high strain-optic coefficients (0.048 ± 0.003 to 0.11 ± 0.01) and high compliances (245 ± 18 to 1900 ± 100 GPa −1 ) demonstrates that isotropic LCEs are exciting candidates for photoelastic coatings for assessing deformations across soft devices and biomaterials.

The term liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) describes a class of materials that combine the elastic entropy behaviour associated with conventional elastomers with the stimuli responsive properties of anisotropic liquid crystals. LCEs consequently exhibit attributes of both elastomers and liquid crystals, but additionally have unique properties not found in either. Recent developments in LCE synthesis, as well as the understanding of the behaviour of liquid crystal elastomers—namely their mechanical, optical and responsive properties—is of significant relevance to biology and biomedicine. LCEs are abundant in nature, highlighting the potential use of LCEs in biomimetics. Their exceptional tensile properties and biocompatibility have led to research exploring their applications in artificial tissue, biological sensors and cell scaffolds by exploiting their actuation and shock absorption properties. There has also been significant recent interest in using LCEs as a model for morphogenesis. This review provides an overview of some aspects of LCEs which are of relevance in different branches of biology and biomedicine, as well as discussing how recent LCE advances could impact future applications.

Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (NaLAS) surfactant is often combined with polycarboxylate polymers in detergent formulations. However, the behavior of these aqueous surfactant–polymer systems in the absence of an added electrolyte is unreported. This work investigates the behavior of such systems using polarized light microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), centrifugation, and 2H NMR techniques. A phase diagram at 50 °C is reported for 0–50 wt % NaLAS concentrations and 0–10 wt % polycarboxylate concentrations. The NaLAS–water system is micellar at concentrations <35 wt %, and a 2-phase micellar–lamellar system is seen at higher NaLAS levels, consistent with that reported by previous studies. As polymers are added at low surfactant concentrations (∼10 to 20 wt % NaLAS), a second optically isotropic phase is formed; this is thought to be a polymer-rich phase. Further addition of polycarboxylate leads to the formation of a lamellar phase. At high surfactant concentrations (>20 wt % NaLAS), the addition of a polymer induces a second lamellar phase. These observed behaviors are thought to arise as a result of depletion flocculation and salting-out effects. The observed lamellar phases adopt colloidal multilamellar vesicle (MLV) structures, and the average MLV radii were estimated using 2H NMR by probing the diffusion and anisotropy of D2O within the bilayers of the vesicles. The NMR results show that as the polymer concentration was increased from 0 to 10 wt %, an increase in the average multilamellar vesicle size from ∼200 to ∼500 nm was observed. This increase in the calculated average MLV radius likely results from depletion flocculation-induced MLV fusion.