US EPA

5381500 

Journal Article 

Nature of the liquid crystalline phase transitions in the cesium pentadecafluorooctanoate-water system: the nematic-to-smectic-A transition 

Jolley, KW; Boden, N; Parker, D; Henderson, JR 

2002 

1 

Physical Review E (Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics)
ISSN: 1539-3755
EISSN: 1550-2376 

65 

4 Pt 1 

041713 

English 

12005852 

10.1103/PhysRevE.65.041713 

WOS:000175146400060 

Measurements of the diamagnetic susceptibility chi(a), the rotational viscosity coefficient gamma(1), and the micellar orientational order parameter S have been made as a function of temperature across the entire nematic phases of cesium pentadecafluorooctanoate (CsPFO)-D2O samples over the concentration range weight fraction CsPFO w from 0.350 to 0.500. This has been chosen so as to embrace the pseudo-nematic phase-lamellar tricritical point that has been purported to occur at w=0.43 (volume fraction phi=0.26). The values of gamma(1) vary from about 0.1 kg m(-1) s(-1) to 1000 kg m(-1) s(-1) as the temperature decreases across the nematic phase, covering a much larger range than those reported for thermotropic liquid crystals. Measurements of gamma(1) have been made much closer to the critical temperature T(LN) than have previously been reported [(T-T(LN))/T(LN)=2 x 10(-5) for the w=0.350 sample]. The rotational viscosity critical exponents x calculated from the divergence of gamma(1) on approaching the nematic-phase-to-lamellar transition are found to be constant at 2/3 independent of the concentration. These values differ from those of 1/3 and 1/2, respectively, predicted by the He-like three-dimensional XY and mean-field models, in combination with mean-field dynamical relaxation. However, the former would be supported if complete Fisher renormalization (at alpha=1/2) was appropriate over an extended concentration range. Alternatively, this could be an indication of the importance of coupling between the micellar rotational dynamics and critical fluctuations since the latter are seen to be predominant across the entire temperature range of the nematic phase as revealed in the temperature dependence of gamma(1).