The lower-temperature phase of a nematic lyomesophase system

The system Na decyl sulfate/water/decanol/Na sulfate, which forms a nematic NL lyomesophase with planar micelles at 298 K, changes to a CG phase at 295 K on cooling. Phase CG studied by X-ray diffraction has a lamellar structure with repetition distance 31.4 Å. Comparison of observed and calculated intensities from a step-function model defines the CG phase as a coagel where anhydrous lamellar aggregates of extended tilted bilayers are dispersed in water. This result gives support to the model of aggregates of micelles in the N_L phase previously proposed.