Fig. 2: The phase behavior of CNC-PEG-dextran heterogeneous colloids.
From: Thermodynamically controlled multiphase separation of heterogeneous liquid crystal colloids
a Photograph of aqueous CNC suspensions to highlight the concentration dependent LCPS (samples were placed between crossed polarizers). b Illustration of cholesteric self-assembly of CNC with nonadsorbing polymers through depletion effect. c CNC-PEG suspension with temperature-sensitive phase behavior and cholesteric assembly (scale bars: 50 μm). The inset is the corresponding measured helical pitch. d, e The evolution of multiphase separation in four-component CNC-PEG-dextran aqueous mixture with an increased (stepwise 1 wt%) CNC content from 0 (yellow box), 4 (blue box, critical concentration for LCPS of CNC) to 6 wt% (red box) at different temperature. The composition of PEG-dextran is fixed at 3.75–4.25 wt% (d) and 3.75–3.5 wt% (e), respectively. f Total volume fraction of the anisotropic phase as a function of dextran concentration which equilibrated under either 21 or 50 °C.
