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Liquid crystal phase transitions in suspensions of polydisperse plate-like particles

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  • Felix M. van der Kooij

    (Van't Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Debye Institute, Utrecht University)

  • Katerina Kassapidou

    (Van't Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Debye Institute, Utrecht University)

  • Henk N. W. Lekkerkerker

    (Van't Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Debye Institute, Utrecht University)

Abstract

Colloidal suspensions that form periodic self-assembling structures on sub-micrometre scales are of potential technological interest; for example, three-dimensional arrangements of spheres in colloidal crystals1 might serve as photonic materials2, intended to manipulate light. Colloidal particles with non-spherical shapes (such as rods and plates) are of particular interest because of their ability to form liquid crystals. Nematic liquid crystals possess orientational order; smectic and columnar liquid crystals additionally exhibit positional order (in one or two dimensions respectively). However, such positional ordering3,4 may be inhibited in polydisperse colloidal suspensions. Here we describe a suspension of plate-like colloids that shows isotropic, nematic and columnar phases on increasing the particle concentration. We find that the columnar two-dimensional crystal persists for a polydispersity of up to 25%, with a cross-over to smectic-like ordering at very high particle concentrations. Our results imply that liquid crystalline order in synthetic mesoscopic materials may be easier to achieve than previously thought.

Suggested Citation

  • Felix M. van der Kooij & Katerina Kassapidou & Henk N. W. Lekkerkerker, 2000. "Liquid crystal phase transitions in suspensions of polydisperse plate-like particles," Nature, Nature, vol. 406(6798), pages 868-871, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:406:y:2000:i:6798:d:10.1038_35022535
    DOI: 10.1038/35022535
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    Cited by:

    1. Changjae Lee & Soon Mo Park & Soobin Kim & Yun-Seok Choi & Geonhyeong Park & Yun Chan Kang & Chong Min Koo & Seon Joon Kim & Dong Ki Yoon, 2022. "Field-induced orientational switching produces vertically aligned Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Tetsuya Kambe & Shotaro Imaoka & Misa Shimizu & Reina Hosono & Dongwan Yan & Hinayo Taya & Masahiro Katakura & Hirona Nakamura & Shoichi Kubo & Atsushi Shishido & Kimihisa Yamamoto, 2022. "Liquid crystalline 2D borophene oxide for inorganic optical devices," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-6, December.
    3. Guangdong Chen & Hanwen Pei & Xuefei Zhang & Wei Shi & Mingjie Liu & Charl F. J. Faul & Bai Yang & Yan Zhao & Kun Liu & Zhongyuan Lu & Zhihong Nie & Yang Yang, 2022. "Liquid-crystalline behavior on dumbbell-shaped colloids and the observation of chiral blue phases," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.

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