COMPLEX LIQUID SYSTEMS

J. Phys. IV France 03 (1993) C1-271-C1-277
DOI: 10.1051/jp4:1993123

SANS experiments on micellar nematic mesophases

V. FORMOSO¹, Y. GALERNE², F.P. NICOLETTA¹, G. PEPY³, N. PICCI⁴ and R. BARTOLINO<sup>1

1</sup>  Dipartimento di Fisica, Università della Calabria, GNSM and INFM Unità di Cosenza, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Cosenza, Italy
²  Institut de Physique et Chimie des Matériaux de Strasbourg, Groupe des Matériaux Organiques, I.C.S., 6 rue Boussingault, 67083 Strasbourg cedex, France
³  Laboratoire Léon Brillouin, CEN-Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
⁴  Dipartimento di Chimica, Università della Calabria, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Cosenza, Italy

Abstract
Lyotropic Nematics are liquid crystalline mixtures characterized by anisotropic aggregates of amphiphilic molecules with finite shape and long range orientational but no positional order. They are distinguished according to their macroscopic properties in positive and negative uniaxial nematics and in biaxial nematics. Very few notices are available on the structure and on the evolution of the micelles through the different nematic mesophases. We have studied by Small Angle Neutrons Scattering the potassium laurate, decylammonium hydrochloride, water system which was found to exhibit the three nematic phases as a function of temperature and concentration. SANS preliminary experiments were performed at PAXY spectrometer of Orphée reactor at Saclay on adequate combinations of fully deuterated components.

© EDP Sciences 1993