Nonequilibrium orientational patterns in two-component Langmuir monolayers

Abstract

A model of a phase-separating two-component Langmuir monolayer in the presence of a photo-induced reaction interconvering two components is formulated. An interplay between phase separation, orientational ordering and treaction is found to lead to a variety of nonequilibrium self-organized patterns, both stationary and traveling. Examples of the patterns, observed in numerical simulations, include flowing droplets, traveling stripes, wave sources and vortex defects.

Submitted to the Physical Review E