A magnetically aligning lyotropic mesophase with a clay inclusion

Abstract

The inclusion of clay (bentonite) (ca. 0.08–0.64 wt.%) in the lyotropic mesophase formed by potassium dodecanoate + KCl + 2H2O has been observed by 2H nmr not to alter the type I CM character of the phase. Relaxation of the mesophase director has been analyzed in terms of two processes over a range of 2H2O concentrations. A slow process with rate constants of ca. 2 × 10−4 − 8 × 10−4 s−1 exists for the phase with clay over 2H2O concentrations of 63.9–65.9 wt.%. A tenfold increase in the rate constant with an increase in the 2H2O content from 62.5 to 65.5% was observed for the ternary phase at 302 K.