Phase behaviour of lyotropic liquid crystals in external fields and confinement

Abstract

This mini-review discusses the influence of external fields on the phase behaviour of lyotropic colloidal liquid crystals. The liquid crystal phases reviewed, formed in suspensions of highly anisotropic particles ranging from rod- to board- to plate-like particles, include nematic, smectic and columnar phases. The external fields considered are the earth gravitational field and electric and magnetic fields. For electric and magnetic fields single particle alignment, collective reorientation behaviour of ordered phases and field-induced liquid crystal phase transitions are discussed. Additionally, liquid crystal phase behaviour in various confining geometries, e.g. slit-pore, circular and spherical confinement will be reviewed.