%0 Journal Article
%T Photo-Induced Phase Transitions to Liquid Crystal Phases: Influence of the Chain Length from C8E4 to C14E4
%A Marcel Petri
%A Gerhard Busse
%A Wilson Quevedo
%A Simone Techert
%J Materials
%D 2009
%I MDPI AG
%R 10.3390/ma2031305
%X Photo-induced phase transitions are characterized by the transformation from phase A to phase B through the absorption of photons. We have investigated the mechanism of the photo-induced phase transitions of four different ternary systems CiE4/alkane (i) with n = 8, 10, 12, 14; cyclohexane/H2O. We were interested in understanding the effect of chain length increase on the dynamics of transformation from the microemulsion phase to the liquid crystal phase. Applying light pump (pulse)/x-ray probe (pulse) techniques, we could demonstrate that entropy and diffusion control are the driving forces for the kind of phase transition investigated.
%K photo-induced phase-transition
%K time-resolved
%K small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS)
%K self-assembly
%K entropy-driven
%U http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/2/3/1305