Biaxial phases in mineral liquid crystals

Abstract

A review is given of liquid crystals formed in colloidal dispersions, in particular those consisting of mineral particles. Starting with the historical development and early theory, the characteristic properties related to the colloidal nature of this type of liquid crystals are discussed. The possibility to find biaxial nematic and smectic phases is described for mixtures of rods and plates and recent examples are given of biaxial liquid crystal phases of mineral particles with inherent biaxial shape.

Keywords:

• biaxial nematic
• biaxial smectic
• colloid
• mineral
• nanoparticle

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gert Jan Vroege

Gert Jan Vroege was trained as an experimental and theoretical physical chemist at Leiden University and obtained his PhD at the Technical University Delft. He is currently senior lecturer/researcher at the Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science and fellow of University College, Utrecht University, the Netherlands.