Fig. 7: Hierarchical structured cholesteric CNC-PEG-dextran composite film.
From: Thermodynamically controlled multiphase separation of heterogeneous liquid crystal colloids
a Photograph of a dried CNC-PEG-dextran hybrid composite with opaque white appearance. b POM image of the hybrid composite with distinct birefringent domains. Cross-section of the composite film with fluorescent (c) and SEM imaging (d), revealing highly dense morphology in PEG-rich region and microporous morphology in dextran-rich region. e, f High magnified SEM images of the dense PEG-rich region that display periodic layered structure, indicative of cholesteric organization of CNC. g–i SEM images of the dextran-rich region, demonstrating deformed cholesteric layers around large pores. The scale bars are 1 cm (a), 200 μm (b), 100 μm (c), 100 μm (d), 4 μm (e), 2 μm (f), 20 μm (g), 2 μm (h), and 2 μm (i).
