Light-Sculpted Azopolymer Colloids: From Patchy Spheres to Porcupine and Pineapple Morphologies

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Sorkhabi, Sh. Golghasemi, Barille, R., Loumaigne, M., Korbut, A., Zielinska, S., Ortyl, E.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Sorkhabi, Sh. Golghasemi
Barille, R.
Loumaigne, M.
Korbut, A.
Zielinska, S.
Ortyl, E.
author_facet Sorkhabi, Sh. Golghasemi
Barille, R.
Loumaigne, M.
Korbut, A.
Zielinska, S.
Ortyl, E.
contents A simple optical strategy to transform patchy PMMA azopolymer composite nanoparticles into complex, fully three-dimensional morphologies using controlled laser polarization is presented. The particles consist of a PMMA core decorated with nanoscale azopolymer patches that undergo localized photofluidization upon trans cis isomerization. Linear polarization drives directed mass transport within each patch, producing elongated super-cones that collectively yield porcupine like particles, whereas circular polarization generates isotropic bump deformations reminiscent of sea-pineapple structures. A nonlinear, volume-conserving geometric model quantitatively reproduces the patch-to-filament transition. Brownian and Jeffery-flow simulations reveal that these photoinduced morphologies dramatically alter hydrodynamic behavior, leading to enhanced anisotropic diffusion, reduced rotational randomization, and polarization-dependent transport amplification in shear flow. This light-driven, reversible sculpting method provides a versatile route to programmable colloidal shapes and highlights geometry as a powerful control parameter for microscale transport, active materials, and soft-matter physics.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_29310
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Light-Sculpted Azopolymer Colloids: From Patchy Spheres to Porcupine and Pineapple Morphologies
Sorkhabi, Sh. Golghasemi
Barille, R.
Loumaigne, M.
Korbut, A.
Zielinska, S.
Ortyl, E.
Applied Physics
A simple optical strategy to transform patchy PMMA azopolymer composite nanoparticles into complex, fully three-dimensional morphologies using controlled laser polarization is presented. The particles consist of a PMMA core decorated with nanoscale azopolymer patches that undergo localized photofluidization upon trans cis isomerization. Linear polarization drives directed mass transport within each patch, producing elongated super-cones that collectively yield porcupine like particles, whereas circular polarization generates isotropic bump deformations reminiscent of sea-pineapple structures. A nonlinear, volume-conserving geometric model quantitatively reproduces the patch-to-filament transition. Brownian and Jeffery-flow simulations reveal that these photoinduced morphologies dramatically alter hydrodynamic behavior, leading to enhanced anisotropic diffusion, reduced rotational randomization, and polarization-dependent transport amplification in shear flow. This light-driven, reversible sculpting method provides a versatile route to programmable colloidal shapes and highlights geometry as a powerful control parameter for microscale transport, active materials, and soft-matter physics.
title Light-Sculpted Azopolymer Colloids: From Patchy Spheres to Porcupine and Pineapple Morphologies
topic Applied Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.29310