Morphological studies of a (self-assembling oil gelator/liquid crystal) composite system

The aggregation structure of a novel (self-assembling oil gelator/liquid crystal) composite was investigated using light scattering studies and morphological observations. The oil gelator forms a self-assembled-networks aggregate in an organic solvent with a low molecular weight liquid crystal (LC). It became apparent from Hv light scattering patterns and polarizing optical microscopy that two types of LC molecular alignments exist in the composite: a random orientation and a spherulite type one in a nematic gel state. Also, optical and atomic force microscopic observations revealed that fibrils which formed bundles in the fibre-like and spherulite-like aggregates, were formed in the composite. The alignment of the liquid crystal molecules was related to the aggregation structure of the self-assembling oil gelator in a liquid crystal gel state.