Rheological behavior,zeta potential,and accelerated stability tests of Buriti oil (Mauritia flexuosa) emulsions containing lyotropic liquid crystals

Background: It is well known that the Amazon region presents a huge biodiversity; therefore, countless natural resources are being employed in the production of phytocosmetics and phytomedicines. Objective: The purpose of this work was to obtain emulsions produced with Buriti oil and non-ionic surfactants. Methods: Two surfactant systems were employed (Steareth-2 associated to Ceteareth-5 and to Ceteareth-20) to produce the emulsions using phase diagram method. Emulsions were obtained by echo-planar imaging method at 75°C. Rheological behavior and zeta potential were evaluated, and accelerated stability tests were performed. Results: All emulsions analyzed presented pseudoplastic behavior. Zeta potential values were obtained between ?14.2 and ?53.3 mV. The formulations did not show changes in either physical stability, pH, or rheological behavior after accelerated stability tests. Significant differences were observed only after temperature cycling test. Conclusion: Based on these results, the emulsions obtained could be considered as promising delivery systems.     

Analysis on the birefringence property of lyotropic liquid crystals below Krafft temperature

The effect of lyotropic liquid crystalline material, below Krafft temperature, in changing the polarization of the optical beam has been demonstrated. It is found that the lamella structures formed in the material below Krafft temperature are birefringent and this birefringence can be controlled by flowing it in rectangular channel under a suitable flow rate.     

Thermally tunable random laser in dye-doped liquid crystals

A thermally tunable random laser in dye-doped liquid crystals (DDLCs) is reported. The gain medium of PM597 dye-doped E7 nematic LC is injected into a glass cell. The experimental results show that the random lasing is still obtained when the cell temperature becomes higher, even above the nematic–isotropic transition, and that its polarization changes at the same time. Temperature has little effect on the full width at half maxiumum of the random lasing. The center wavelength of the random lasing shifts from 575.69?nm to 593.43?nm when the temperature increases from 25.5°C to 148°C. Meanwhile, a random laser based on a solution of laser dye is first reported in this article. The reasons are possibly that nanoparticles consisting of dye molecules provide a new scattering mechanism in both solution and isotropic phase.     

Molecular alignment structure of dimeric liquid crystals

While an antiferroelectric liquid crystal (AFLC) with dimeric molecules which take a bent molecular structure may show the phase transition from the isotropic liquid to the chiral smectic-C AFLC () phase via the nematic (N) phase, it has not been obvious yet why the and N phases may coexist in the phase sequence of the dimeric AFLC medium. In this study, the molecular alignment structures of the N and the SmC_A phases of an achiral dimeric LC were researched in detail with a polarized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The domain structure with two orientational directions is formed both in the SmC_A and N phase, and the occupation ratio of two types of domain does not change in the phase transition. Since their alignment structures are basically same except for the existence of layer structure, their phases may coexist in the phase sequence of the dimeric AFLC.     

Effects of shear flow and viscosity difference on phase separation

We discuss some salient features recently found in phase-separating fluids under shear. They are highly elongated, bicontinuous domain structures (string phase), hysteresis in the droplet distribution in the off-critical case. existence of the spinodal due to suppression of droplet formation in shear. and critical rheology. We also examine the condition of bicontinuity and the effective viscosity when the two phases have different viscosities.Paper presented at the Twelfth Symposium on Thennophysical Properties, June 19–24, 1994 Boulder Colorado U.S.A.     

Optically isotropic liquid crystals with microsized domains

We offer a new type of polymer-stabilized liquid crystal (PS-LC) in which mesogenic monomers doped in a LC medium are photocured at a temperature where the LC medium is in the isotropic liquid phase. If the LC domain size could reduce less than the wavelength of visible light, optically isotropic LC media may be realized. We researched the effect of the concentration of polymer and the UV intensity on the LC domain size. The domain size decreases as the polymer concentration increases and the LC medium may become almost isotropic. Moreover, we can obtain a perfectly isotropic LC medium with a high intensity of UV irradiation.     

Multiple shear step approach to determine the rotational viscosity of asphalt emulsions and its correlation with water content of original and diluted emulsions

Viscosity determination of thixotropic emulsions with good repeatability has always been a major challenge. Currently, Saybolt Furol viscometer (SFV) is used to determine the viscosity of the emulsion, but the main drawback of the SFV is that it cannot simulate the behaviour of emulsion under different shear rate. Rotational viscometer (RV) can measure viscosity at different shear rates. Due to the thixotropic behaviour of the emulsions, getting repeatable results by following the hot binder specification is a problematic task. In this study, a new multiple shear step approach is used to determine the viscosity of the emulsified asphalt using RV. Three low viscous (SS-1, SS-1H and SS-1L) and two high viscous (CRS-2 and CRS-2P) emulsions were used in this study. Shear stress is gradually stepped up to different levels after certain time interval to determine the viscosity. In this manner, emulsion undergoes a known shear state and each reading is preceded by a certain repeatable shear history. It was observed that with the progression of time and simultaneous increase in shear rate, the viscosity results are much more stable and repeatable with less than 5% coefficient of variance. The final specifications proposed are 220–730 and 5–90 cP at 50 rpm and 30 °C for high and low viscous emulsions, respectively, which are based on 98% probability. Viscosity measured by this approach also showed strong correlation with water content (R² > 0.94). The correlation between viscosity and water content is even stronger after dilution. With different dilution water content, viscosity of CRS-2 and CRS-2P exhibited R² values of 0.97 and 0.98, respectively.     

Measurements of the viscosities of saturated and compressed liquid normal butane and isobutane

The shear viscosity coefficients of saturated and compressed liquid normal butane and isobutane have been measured with the torsional piezoelectric crystal method at temperatures beween 115 and 300 K and at pressures to 30 MPa. The measurements have been correlated with a modified Hildebrand equation. The experimental error is estimated to be smaller than 3%. The measurements of normal butane and isobutane have been compared with a global extended corresponding states model and with each other. Differences between measured and calculated viscosities are discussed.     

Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics of liquid crystals

During the last 15 years, noneyuilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) has been successfully applied to study transport phenomena in fluids that are isotropic at equilibrium. A natural extension is therefore to study liquid crystals, which are anisotropic al equilibrium. The lower symmetry of these systems means that the linear transport coefficients are considerably more complicated than in an isotropic system. Part of the reason for this is that there are crosscouplings between tensors of different rank and parity. Such couplings arc symmetry-forbidden in isotropic phases. In this paper. we review some of fundamental theoretical results we have derived concerning the rheology of liquid crystals. report NEMD simulations of thermal conductivity and shear viscosity of liquid crystals, and present NEMD simulations of shear cessation phenomena. All of the NEMD results are presented for a model liquid crystal fluid which is a modification of the Gay-Borne fluid. The results obtained are in qualitative agreement with experimental measurements on liquid crystal systems.Paper presented at the Twelfth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, June 19–24, 1994, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.     

NMR study of the slow dynamics and local structure in lyotropic micellar liquid crystals

The first experimental evidence of director fluctuations in a micellar lyotropic liquid crystal, studied by ¹H spin-lattice relaxation rate, is reported. The system is constituted by the ternary mixture: potassium laurate/1-decanol/water. With the aim to test the slow dynamics, the experiment has been performed over a broad range of Larmor frequencies (2 × 10³− 6.6 × 10⁶ Hz), using fast field-cycling NMR relaxometry. The results evidence that in the nematic and isotropic mesophases and the poliphasyc region, director fluctuations are responsible for the spin-lattice relaxation dispersion in the low Larmor frequency range (<10⁵ Hz). By increasing the intermicellar water content, a crossover was found between a quasi-isotropic 3D director fluctuations behavior to a 2D pseudo-lamellar undulation fluctuations. In order to explain the higher frequency range (>10⁵ Hz), two relaxation mechanisms are assigned: i) molecular reorientation by translational diffusion on the micellar surface, and ii) molecular exchange between the micelle and the bulk. Received: 30 March 2000     

Study on optical weak absorption of borate crystals

Borate crystal is an important type of nonlinear optical crystals used in frequency conversion in all-solid-state lasers. Especially, LiB₃O₅ (LBO), CsB₃O₅ (CBO) and CsLiB₆O₁₀ (CLBO) are the most advanced. Although these borate crystals are all constructed by the same anionic group-(B₃O₇)⁵⁻, they show different nonlinear optical properties. In this study, bulk weak absorption values of three borate crystals have been studied at 1064 nm by a photothermal common-path interferometer. The bulk weak absorption values of them along [1 0 0], [0 1 0] and [0 0 1] directions were obtained, respectively, to be approximately 17.5 ppm cm⁻¹, 15 ppm cm⁻¹ and 20 ppm cm⁻¹ (LBO); 80 ppm cm⁻¹, 100 ppm cm⁻¹ and 40 ppm cm⁻¹ (CBO); 600 ppm cm⁻¹, 600 ppm cm⁻¹ and 150 ppm cm⁻¹ (CLBO) at 1064 nm. The results showed an obvious discrepancy of the values of these crystals along three axis directions. A correlation between the bulk weak absorption property and crystal intrinsic structure was then discussed. It is found that the bulk weak absorption values strongly depend on the interstitial area surrounded by the B–O frames. The interstitial area is larger, the bulk weak absorption value is higher.     

Measurement of viscosities from the transient current of nematic liquid crystals with negative dielectric anisotropy

A method for measuring the complete set of the Leslie viscosity coefficients of nematic liquid crystals (NLCs) with negative dielectric anisotropy (Δε < 0) is proposed. The method is based on the analysis of the transient current, induced by step voltage excitation, in homeotropic NLC cells. It has been shown that the transient current in homeotropic NLC cells with Δε < 0 can be explained by the theory of NLCs in which the flow effects and the free-slip boundary condition are taken into account [Y. Iwata et al., Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 43 (2004) L 1588]. It is demonstrated that the complete set of the Leslie viscosity coefficients of NLCs with Δε < 0 can be simultaneously and accurately measured by fitting the transient current calculated by the theory to the experimental data with a differential correction method.     

对称型苯并菲盘状液晶研究进展

盘状液晶是近年来研究的一种新型光电材料,其独特的光电性能显示了巨大的应用前景,本文主要从类型与合成方面介绍了近年来对称型苯并菲盘状液晶的研究进展.     

X-ray diffraction study of polyphilic smectic liquid crystals

4-substituted n-5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,10-tridecafluorodecan-1-yloxybenzene and n-5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,11,11,12,12,12-pentadecafluorododecan-1-yloxybenzene, the former with CO₂CH₃ and the latter with CO₂CH₃ and CO₂H substituents in para position, are polyphilic compounds exhibiting smectic liquid crystalline phases. The structure of these phases was studied by X-ray diffraction and modelling. The method consisted of reconstructing all possible one-dimensional electron density profiles from diffraction intensities and matching them with the profiles calculated from structural models. The method is shown to be useful in both determining molecular arrangement in the smectic phase and in phase identification itself. An S_Ad phase is found in the two esters, having interdigitated perfluorinated alkyl segments. In contrast, a double-layer S_C phase, also known as S_C2, is found in the carboxylic acid. The method used here is particularly applicable to polyphilic liquid crystals such as the present ones, which are characterized by a complex electron density profile and a high translational order parameter.     

Measurements of the viscosity of compressed gaseous and liquid nitrogen + methane mixtures

The shear viscosity coefficients of three compressed gaseous and liquid nitrogen + methane mixtures have been measured at temperatures between 100 and 300 K and at pressures to about 30 MPa (4350 psia) with a piezoelectric quartz crystal viscometer. The precision of the measurements ranges from about 0.5% at high densities to about 1% at low densities. The estimated experimental error ranges from about 2% at high densities to about 4% at densities near the critical density and at supercritical temperatures near the critical temperature. The measurements have been compared with an extended corresponding states model, previously proposed for calculating the viscosities of fluid mixtures. Differences between the measured and calculated viscosities are discussed.     

Layer-by-layer transitions in liquid crystals

Employing our free-standing film calorimetric system. we have identified three remarkable layer-by-layer transitions in several liquid crystal compounds. Each of these transitions can be well described by the simple power-law form:L = L ₀ t. The layering transitions liMind near the smectic-A- hexatic-B and smectic-A crystal-B transitions are well characterized by the exponent v 1 3. This value is consistent with models based on a van der Wads-like dominant intermolecular interaction. Another novel layer-by-layer thinning transition has been discovered above the hulk smectic-A isotropic transition of a perfluorinated liquid crystal compound. The value of the exponent obtained, v 3 4. cannot he easily explained using familiar models.Paper presented at the Twelfth Symposium on Thermophysical Properties. June 19–24, 1994 Boulder Colorado U.S.A.     

Effects of viscosities on the transient current in homeotropic nematic liquid crystal cells

Effects of the Leslie viscosity coefficients α_i (i = 1, 2, …, 5) of nematic liquid crystals (NLCs) with negative dielectric anisotropy (Δε < 0) on the electric-field-induced director reorientation in homeotropic NLC cells have been studied from the analysis of the transient current induced by step voltage application. The transient current in a homeotropic NLC cell with Δε < 0 was well reproduced by computer simulation, based on the theory of NLCs in which the flow effects and the free-slip boundary condition are taken into account. It is found that the response time of vertical alignment NLC displays is dominantly governed by α₂ and α₄ + α₅ of NLCs with Δε < 0.     

溶致液晶偏振薄膜的研究

对N, N'-二氢化蒽醌吖嗪(还原蓝RSN)和N, N'-二苯并咪唑-1,4:5,8-萘酰亚胺(还原猩红GG)改性处理引入磺酸基,使其成为双亲性化合物,红外光谱结果表明磺酸基改变了分子的极性.双亲性染料分子在极性溶剂中溶解、浓缩、自组装成有序聚集体,在正交偏振光下,织构呈带状和棒状.将溶液用线棒涂布器在玻璃衬底上展开,同时剪切诱导分子取向分布,溶剂自然蒸发后形成0.5～0.7μm厚固态偏振薄膜.溶致液晶的粘度显著影响涂布薄膜的表面平整度和取向度,在可见光部分波段,薄膜具有良好的光学偏振效率,最佳偏振效率达到95%以上,实用前景看好.     

Carbon nanotube dispersion in nematic liquid crystals: An overview

The aim of present review article is to present a comprehensive and current overview of scientific advancement in liquid crystal and carbon nanotube suspension. Particular attention has been paid to the recent developments and fundamental understanding of carbon nanotube dispersion in nematic liquid crystals. The dispersion and interaction of carbon nanotube in liquid crystal matrices and more elaborately the effect of dispersion on the properties of liquid crystalline materials has been extensively discussed. Recent progress has shown that even a very minute concentration of carbon nanotube in liquid crystals can have a reflective impact on the electrical and optical properties of liquid crystals. Liquid crystals provide a distinctive environment for controlling the alignment of carbon nanotubes whereas carbon nanotubes are important for the enhancement and fine-tuning of liquid crystalline properties. Potential applications of liquid crystal and carbon nanotube suspension are briefly discussed. Conclusion and future perspectives of this rapidly emerging field is provided at the end.