title: Gelation via ion exchange in discotic suspensions.
abstract: The phase behavior of charged disk suspensions displays a strong dependence on ionic strengths, as the interplay between excluded volume and electrostatic interactions determines the formation of glasses, gels, and liquid crystal states. The various ions in natural soil or brine, however, could present additional effects, especially considering that most platelet structures bear a momentous ion-exchange capacity. Here we observed how ion exchange modulates and controls the interaction between individual disks and leads to unconventional phase transitions from isotropic gel to nematic gel and finally to nematic liquid crystals.
authors.affiliation: Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA.
authors.forename: Ya-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Andres F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Mejia
authors.forename: Zhengdong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Di
authors.forename: Gregory B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: McKenna
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D044367:Phase Transition; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D055672:Static Electricity; D013535:Suspensions / Q000737:chemistry*; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D005782:Gels; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D013535:Suspensions; C027006:zirconium phosphate; D015040:Zirconium; C009405:tetrabutylammonium