Interaction of Micellar Additions with Thermotropic Liquid Crystals

Aerosol OT (AOT), a surfactant which forms inverse micelles, was added to a nematogen, 8CB, and cholesterogens having long and short pitches. The effect of the AOT additions on the liquid-crystal state was gauged by studying the phase diagram of the AOT-mesogen system. AOT depressed the clearing point of all mesogens. In 8CB, there was a retrograde solvus on the nematic side, followed by an isotropic liquid-liquid miscibility gap. The solubility of AOT with water added was greater than that of dry AOT. The blue phases of cholesterol butyrate were completely suppressed by 5 wt. % AOT, while the pitch of a cholesterol proprionate - chloride mixture was shortened by AOT.