Abstract
Abstract A type II nematic lyomesophase formed by a quaternary system (K decanoate/water/decanol/KCI) has been studied by X-ray diffraction (XD) and optical microscopy (OM) at room temperature. Samples in capillaries of various thicknesses, materials and geometries have been studied under the influence of wall effects, residual magnetic orientation and orientation in presence of magnetic fields. Results evidence that surface orientation extend typically up to 0.5 mm. The planar diffracting units have a characteristic distance in the director direction of 36 A. The analysis of the compromise between surface and magnetic orientation by XD allowed to determine a critical field of 200 G for a 0.5 mm thickness; the elastic constant is estimated as 10−-7 dynes. Analised by OM, the sample is axially positive, but shows also a weak biaxiality.
Published Version
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