Revista de Química e Engenharia Química Aplicada

Effect of the presence of strong and weak electrolytes on the existence of the uniaxial and biaxial nematic phases in lyotropic mixtures

Antonio Martins Figueiredo Neto

Lyotropic mixture of potassium laurate/decanol/water presenting only the uniaxial nematic calamitic phase was doped with KCl, DLmandelic acid, benzoic acid, DL-phenyllactic acid, phenylacetic acid, phenol, phenylmethanol, benzene, RS-hexahydromandelic acid, cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, cyclohexaneacetic acid, cyclohexanol, cyclohexylmethanol and cyclohexane, separately. The nematic phase sequences were investigated as a function of the dopant molar concentration and temperature. Laser conoscopy was used to characterize the nematic phases. Weak electrolytes having