Effect of temperature on dynamic rheological behavior of discontinuous cubic liquid crystal

The dynamic rheological properties of discontinuous cubic liquid crystal, formed by nonionic surfactant C12–14E12, were investigated in the discrete and continuous patterns of raising temperature. In the discrete pattern, the discontinuous cubic phase appears in two types of viscoelastic behaviors under the melting points of cubic phase: elastic gel and viscoelastic liquid. When the discontinuous cubic phase begins to melt, it has the weak polymer-like viscoelasticity. Temperature and shear frequency have completely different effects on the ratio of viscous and elastic components of samples in these three states. At low temperature, the samples dominate in elasticity and temperature and shear frequency has hardly any effect on viscoelasticity. At moderate temperature, its ratio of viscous and elastic components increases with increasing temperature and decreasing shear frequency. At the vicinity of the melting point of cubic liquid crystal, the cubic liquid crystal appears to have almost equaled viscous and elastic component; shear has obvious effect on the ratio of viscoelasticity at low frequency. The results from the continuous pattern of raising temperature are consistent with those from the discrete pattern.

Graphical abstractIn region I, the discontinuous cubic liquid crystal is elastic gel, temperature has little effect on G′G′ but makes G″G″ smoothly increase; in region II, it is viscoelastic liquid, G′G′ and G″G″ decrease with temperature; and in region III, weak polymer-like viscoelastic liquid, G′G′ and G″G″ sharply drop.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide