ABSTRACT
Here we demonstrate that in the presence of the small, barrel-shaped molecule cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) Laponite clay particles undergo a phase transition into a birefringent gel with lamellar structure and a fluid, Laponite-poor aqueous solution. We employ various characterisation methods and polarised light microscopy to study this transition and the system's structural and optical properties. Furthermore, when dried completely we obtain a layered, transparent composite film, still retaining some liquid-crystalline structure that can be rehydrated reversibly. We argue that this new system may be a model system for anisotropic patchy particles.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Acknowledgements
We thank Zewei Li for performing the XRD measurements. We particularly dedicate this work to Daan Frenkel, who contributed to the understanding of the phase behaviour of liquid crystals on such a fundamental level that it is still a pleasure reading his articles.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
ORCID
Erika Eiser http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2881-8157