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Abstract
Optical signs of type I and II micellar cholesteric lyotropic mesophases were for the first time determined. Lyomesophases were prepared from the following amphiphiles: potassium l-N-lauroyl-serinate, potassium laurate, sodium decylsulfate, cesium decylsulfate and decyl-ammonium chloride. Cholesterol was added to all mesophases in order to obtain the chevron pattern for magnetically oriented samples. The method involves the direct observation of the textures at the polarizing microscope. Using a quartz-wedge retardation plate the directions of the slow and fast light vibration components are determined. This method is simpler than the usual observation, under conoscopic illumination, of the basal interference figure which is hardly obtained in micellar lyotropic cholesteric mesophases. All type I cholesteric lyotropic mesophases here investigated exhibited a positive optical sign, whereas all type II cholesteric lyomesophases showed a negative birefringence.