Issue |
Europhys. Lett.
Volume 59, Number 1, July 2002
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 55 - 61 | |
Section | Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i2002-00159-8 | |
Published online | 01 June 2002 |
The measurement by SAXS of the nematic order parameter of laponite gels
1
Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, UMR CNRS 8502 Bâtiment 510, Université Paris-Sud - 91405 Orsay, France
2
European Synchrotron Radiation Facility - BP 220, 38043 Grenoble, France
3
Sciences Moléculaires aux Interfaces,
FRE CNRS 2068 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes, France
4
Nanomix Inc. - 1295 A 67th Street, CA 94608, Emeryville, USA
Corresponding author: davidson@lps.u-psud.fr
Received:
28
January
2002
Accepted:
15
April
2002
We performed small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments on
oriented samples of laponite clay gels obtained by slow
evaporation. The SAXS patterns are clearly anisotropic, which
demonstrates the existence of nematic-like orientational
correlations of the laponite disc-like particles. The
iso-intensity lines of the SAXS patterns are elliptical and
roughly homothetic over the whole scattering vector range
examined in this experiment. The value of the nematic order
parameter, , derived from the SAXS
patterns is comparable to that of usual liquid crystals. This
large value proves the importance of orientational correlations
in these gels at concentrations higher than ,
even in the absence of shear.
PACS: 61.10.-i – X-ray diffraction and scattering / 61.30.-v – Liquid crystals / 82.70.-y – Disperse systems; complex fluids
© EDP Sciences, 2002
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