Effects of carbon nanotubes on a very low surfactant concentration lyotropic liquid crystal host

Hye Ran Jo; Jun Yamamoto; Jan Lagerwall; Giusy Scalia

doi:10.1117/12.2049189

19 February 2014 Effects of carbon nanotubes on a very low surfactant concentration lyotropic liquid crystal host

Hye Ran Jo, Jun Yamamoto, Jan Lagerwall, Giusy Scalia

Proceedings Volume 9004, Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies IX; 90040V (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2049189
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2014, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Lyotropic Liquid Crystals (LCs) are attractive materials as host systems for nanoparticles, in particular for carbon nanotubes (CNTs), due to the LC templating and dispersing action. Since carbon nanotubes have many remarkable properties their presence could also influence the aligning hosts and such effects need to be taken into account in CNTLC composites. CNTs can be dispersed efficiently in surfactant-based lyotropic hosts that can be removed after their templating action, being water based. However, residual surfactant has a detrimental effect on the nanotube properties and it becomes important to find ways to minimize its amount in CNT composites. In the present work we use, for CNT alignment, a lyotropic nematic LC host with a very low surfactant concentration, based on charge combination of cationic and anionic surfactant molecules. Small variations in the molar ratio of the two surfactants, still at a fixed total surfactant amount, yield a very different LC behavior. CNTs could be successfully dispersed in the host forming an overall low-surfactant composite. Interestingly, the presence of nanotubes strongly influences the behavior of the host, bringing a stabilization of the LC phase.

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Hye Ran Jo, Jun Yamamoto, Jan Lagerwall, and Giusy Scalia "Effects of carbon nanotubes on a very low surfactant concentration lyotropic liquid crystal host ", Proc. SPIE 9004, Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies IX, 90040V (19 February 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2049189

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