Sandwich organization of non-ionic surfactant liquid crystalline phases as induced by large inorganic K₄Nb₆O₁₇ nanosheets

Abstract

While retaining its lamellar liquid crystal phase, K4Nb6O17 nanosheets were used as a template to sandwich and stabilize an alkylpoly(ethylene oxide) nonionic surfactant-water system showing monodomain (lamella) formation within the inorganic niobate sheets that appears to be not dependent on the surfactant liquid crystalline state in solution but more its concentration.