Eur. Phys. J. E (2005) 16: 253-258
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2004-10080-6

Evidence of the hexagonal columnar liquid-crystal phase of hard colloidal platelets by high-resolution SAXS

Van ‘t Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands

^* e-mail: h.n.w.lekkerkerker@chem.uu.nl

Received: 4 August 2004
Accepted: 15 December 2004
Published online: 20 January 2005

Abstract

We report Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) measurements of the columnar phase of hard colloidal gibbsite platelets. We have been able to create large oriented domains of the columnar phase both perpendicular and parallel to the sample wall, varying the volume fraction of platelets and adding non-adsorbing polymer to the dispersion. In conjunction with the increased resolution of the SAXS setup, this allowed a detailed analysis of the columnar phase, providing unambiguous evidence for the hexagonal nature of the phase.