Observation of a Biaxial Nematic Phase in Potassium Laurate-1-Decanol-Water Mixtures

The phase diagram of the ternary system potassium laurate-1-decanol-D${}_2{}^{}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{O}$ was studied over concentration ranges where nematic phases are likely to occur. Two uniaxial nematic phases which are separated by a biaxial nematic phase are found. In limited concentration range the following phase sequence may be observed reversibly on heating and on cooling: isotropic-uniaxial nematic (positive optical anisotropy)-biaxial nematic-uniaxial nematic (negative optical anisotropy)-biaxial nematic-uniaxial nematic (positive optical anisotropy)-isotropic.