Flow birefringence in lyotropic mixtures in the isotropic phase

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Abstract
The flow-induced birefringence (δn) in lyotropic mixtures in the isotropic phase (ISO) was measured by means of optical techniques. As a function of temperature, the ISO is surrounded by two lamellar (LAM) phases. The shear flow produced by a perturbation in ISO induces a birefringent phase, which relaxes back to ISO with a typical relaxation time τ. τ increases near the transition to the more ordered LAM phases, and the behavior of τ versus temperature indicates the existence of a virtual nematic phase in the isotropic domain.