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Updated: Jul 27, 2026

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites
Published on: February 6, 2016
Microstructure and rheological properties of liquid crystallines formed in Brij 97/water/IPM system
Zhongni Wang1, Zhaoyu Diao, Feng Liu
1Department of Chemistry, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China. zhongniw@hotmail.com
Abstract:
The phase diagram of Brij 97/water/IPM systems was determined at 25 degrees C. Rich liquid crystalline phases including Lalpha, H1, and cubic Fd3m phases were identified by means of small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Microstructure transitions of liquid crystals with changes in surfactant concentration and oil content are explained qualitatively by the surfactant packing parameter (vL/aSlc). Dynamic rheological results indicate that all three kinds of liquid crystals investigated show high elasticity. The lamellar, Lalpha, phases formed in Brij 97/water with two different oils, oleic acid and geraniol, were also studied in comparison with those of Brij 97/water/IPM systems. The strength of the network of lamellar phases formed in Brij 97/water/oleic acid and Brij 97/water/geraniol systems are appreciably stronger than for Brij 97/water/IPM systems, indicated by the smaller area of surfactant molecules at the interface and the higher moduli (G' and G'').

