Experimental Realization of Biaxial Liquid Crystal Phases in Colloidal Dispersions of Boardlike Particles

Overview

Journal Phys Rev Lett

Publisher American Physical Society

Specialty Biophysics

Date 2010 Apr 7

PMID 20366292

Citations 8

Authors

E van den Pol

A V Petukhov

D M E Thies-Weesie

D V Byelov

G J Vroege

Affiliations

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Abstract

Biaxial nematic and biaxial smectic phases were found in a colloidal model system of goethite (alpha-FeOOH) particles with a simple boardlike shape and short-range repulsive interaction. The macroscopic domains were oriented by a magnetic field and their structure was revealed by small angle x-ray scattering. In accordance with theoretical predictions, biaxiality appears in a system with particles that have a shape almost exactly in between rodlike and platelike. Our results suggest that biaxial phases can be readily obtained by a proper choice of the particle shape.

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