%0 Journal Article
%A Dogic, Z.
%T Surface Freezing and a Two-Step Pathway of the Isotropic-Smectic Phase Transition in Colloidal Rods
%J Physical review letters
%V 91
%@ 0031-9007
%C College Park, Md.
%I APS
%M PreJuSER-34038
%P 165701-1 - 165701-4
%D 2003
%Z Record converted from VDB: 12.11.2012
%X We study the kinetics of the isotropic-smectic phase transition in a colloidal rod/polymer mixture by visualizing individual smectic layers. First, we show that the bulk isotropic-smectic phase transition is preceded by a surface freezing transition in which a quasi-two-dimensional smectic phase wets the isotropic-nematic interface. Next, we identify a two-step kinetic pathway for the formation of a bulk smectic phase. In the first step a metastable isotropic-nematic interface is formed. This interface is wetted by the surface-induced smectic phase. In the subsequent step, smectic layers nucleate at this surface phase and grow into the isotropic bulk phase.
%K J (WoSType)
%F PUB:(DE-HGF)16
%9 Journal Article
%U <Go to ISI:>//WOS:000186068300031
%R 10.1103/PhysRevLett.91.165701
%U https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/34038