Computational Analysis on the Performance of Liquid Crystal Biosensors for Film and Microdroplet Platforms

<p dir="ltr">It has been shown that liquid crystals can be used as the basis for new types of biosensors that detect bacteria, viruses, and gases. The application of liquid crystal biosensors is relatively new in the biotechnology, medicine, and food industries. Over the past few decades, this advanced material has shown its potential in a variety of applications, including electro-optical devices. Liquid crystals are viscoelastic and anisotropic materials that respond to analytes and change their optical properties accordingly. As a result, changes in optical properties can be visualized and used to detect analytes. When the liquid crystal is in contact with an aqueous interface, the chemical or biological agent is adsorbed by the liquid crystal and results in a change in the liquid crystal orientation in film or within droplets. The result of changing the bulk orientation of liquid crystal creates a texture that can be visualized by optical methods, such as a polarizing optical microscope. Understanding liquid crystal biosensors requires an understanding of bulk orientation and interface interaction in various geometries. In addition to investigating the created texture or optical pattern when polarized light is transmitted through the liquid crystal system. This research will utilize a mathematical model and computational approach to gain an understanding of the liquid crystal biosensor's performance. In this study, biosensors with the aqueous interface will be examined. The unsteady two-dimensional mathematical model is composed of the Leslie Ericksen theory incorporating the Frank free energy during the usage of liquid crystal biosensors. The model is solved numerically using the Galerkin finite element method. We examined the transient optical pattern and response time with various initial bulk and boundary conditions. In nematic liquid crystal biosensors, surface viscosity and homeotropic anchoring strength are investigated and their impact is characterized. This series of studies has been presented for the first time for the use of liquid crystal biosensors with the aqueous interface.</p>