Article (Scientific journals)
Equilibrium Liquid Crystal Phase Diagrams and Detection of Kinetic Arrest in Cellulose Nanocrystal Suspensions
Honorato Rios, Camila; Kuhnhold, Anja; Bruckner, Johanna et al.
2016In Frontiers in Materials, 3
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Keywords :
cellulose nanocrystals; cholesteric liquid crystal; colloids; electrostatic stabilization; phase coexistence; kinetic arrest; phase transitions
Abstract :
[en] The cholesteric liquid crystal self-assembly of water-suspended cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) into a helical arrangement was observed already more than 20 years ago, and the phenomenon was used to produce iridescent solid films by evaporating the solvent or via sol–gel processing. Yet, it remains challenging to produce optically uniform films and to control the pitch reproducibly, reflecting the complexity of the three-stage drying process that is followed in preparing the films. An equilibrium liquid crystal phase formation stage is followed by a non-equilibrium kinetic arrest, which in turn is followed by structural collapse as the remaining solvent is evaporated. Here, we focus on the first of these stages, combining a set of systematic rheology and polarizing optics experiments with computer simulations to establish a detailed phase diagram of aqueous CNC suspensions with two different values of the surface charge, up to the concentration where kinetic arrest sets in. We also study the effect of varying ionic strength of the solvent. Within the cholesteric phase regime, we measure the equilibrium helical pitch as a function of the same parameters. We report a hitherto unnoticed change in character of the isotropic–cholesteric transition at increasing ionic strength, with a continuous weakening of the first-order character up to the point where phase coexistence is difficult to detect macroscopically due to substantial critical fluctuations.
Disciplines :
Physics
Author, co-author :
Honorato Rios, Camila ;  University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication (FSTC) > Physics and Materials Science Research Unit
Kuhnhold, Anja ;  University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication (FSTC) > Physics and Materials Science Research Unit
Bruckner, Johanna;  University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication (FSTC) > Physics and Materials Science Research Unit
Dannert, Rick ;  University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication (FSTC) > Physics and Materials Science Research Unit
Schilling, Tanja ;  University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication (FSTC) > Physics and Materials Science Research Unit
Lagerwall, Jan  ;  University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication (FSTC) > Physics and Materials Science Research Unit
External co-authors :
no
Language :
English
Title :
Equilibrium Liquid Crystal Phase Diagrams and Detection of Kinetic Arrest in Cellulose Nanocrystal Suspensions
Publication date :
03 May 2016
Journal title :
Frontiers in Materials
ISSN :
2296-8016
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., Switzerland
Volume :
3
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Focus Area :
Physics and Materials Science
FnR Project :
FNR8331546 - Materials Innovation With Self-ordered Nanocellulose: From Fundamental Physics Of Self-assembly To Realization Of Commercially Appealing Functional Films, 2014 (01/02/2015-31/01/2018) - Jan Peter Felix Lagerwall
Funders :
FNR - Fonds National de la Recherche [LU]
University of Luxembourg - UL
Available on ORBilu :
since 26 August 2016

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