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Fibrous networks formed by biological polymers such as collagen or fibrin exhibit nonlinear mechanical behavior. They undergo strong stiffening in response to weak shear and elongational strains, but soften under compressional strain, in striking difference with the response to the deformation of flexible-strand networks formed by molecules. The nonlinear properties of fibrous networks are attributed to the mechanical asymmetry of the constituent filaments, for which a stretching modulus is significantly larger than the bending modulus. Studies of the nonlinear mechanical behavior are generally performed on hydrogels formed by biological polymers, which offers limited control over network architecture. Here, we report an engineered covalently cross-linked nanofibrillar hydrogel derived from cellulose nanocrystals and gelatin. The variation in hydrogel com)position provided a broad-range change in its shear modulus. The hydrogel exhibited both shear-stiffening and compression-induced softening, in agreement with the predictions of the affine model. The threshold nonlinear stress and strain were universal for the hydrogels with different compositions, which suggested that nonlinear mechanical properties are general for networks formed by rigid filaments. The experimental results were in agreement with an affine model describing deformation of the network formed by rigid filaments. Our results lend insight into the structural features that govern the nonlinear biomechanics of fibrous networks and provide a platform for future studies of the biological impact of nonlinear mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important goal of the modern soft matter science is to discover new self-assembly modalities to precisely control the placement of small particles in space. Spatial inhomogeneity of liquid crystals offers the capability to organize colloids in certain regions such as the cores of the topological defects. Here we report two self-assembly modes of nanoparticles in linear defects-disclinations in a lyotropic colloidal cholesteric liquid crystal: a continuous helicoidal thread and a periodic array of discrete beads. The beads form one-dimensional arrays with a periodicity that matches half a pitch of the cholesteric phase. The periodic assembly is governed by the anisotropic surface tension and elasticity at the interface of beads with the liquid crystal. This mode of self-assembly of nanoparticles in disclinations expands our ability to use topological defects in liquid crystals as templates for the organization of nanocolloids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many experimental systems consist of large ensembles of uncoupled or weakly interacting elements operating as a single whole; this is particularly the case for applications in nano-optics and plasmonics, including colloidal solutions, plasmonic or dielectric nanoparticles on a substrate, antenna arrays, and others. In such experiments, measurements of the optical spectra of ensembles will differ from measurements of the independent elements as a result of small variations from element to element (also known as polydispersity) even if these elements are designed to be identical. In particular, sharp spectral features arising from narrow-band resonances will tend to appear broader and can even be washed out completely. Here, we explore this effect of inhomogeneous broadening as it occurs in colloidal nanopolymers comprising self-assembled nanorod chains in solution. Using a technique combining finite-difference time-domain simulations and Monte Carlo sampling, we predict the inhomogeneously broadened optical spectra of these colloidal nanopolymers and observe significant qualitative differences compared with the unbroadened spectra. The approach combining an electromagnetic simulation technique with Monte Carlo sampling is widely applicable for quantifying the effects of inhomogeneous broadening in a variety of physical systems, including those with many degrees of freedom that are otherwise computationally intractable.