1Istituto d’Istruzione Superiore “Leonardo da Vinci”, San Giovanni in Fiore, 87055, Italy
2Liceo Scientifico “Enrico Fermi”, Catanzaro Lido, 88100, Italy
3Istituto Comprensivo “Scopelliti-Green”, Rosarno, 89025, Italy
World Journal of Chemical Education.
2015,
Vol. 3 No. 3, 78-81
DOI: 10.12691/wjce-3-3-5
Copyright © 2015 Science and Education PublishingCite this paper: Checchetti Andrea, Fantini Alessandro, Lanzo Jessica. Nematic Emulsion: Optical Characterization.
World Journal of Chemical Education. 2015; 3(3):78-81. doi: 10.12691/wjce-3-3-5.
Correspondence to: Checchetti Andrea, Istituto d’Istruzione Superiore “Leonardo da Vinci”, San Giovanni in Fiore, 87055, Italy. Email:
andreachecchetti@alice.itAbstract
The aim of this experience was to utilize the Inquiry Based Science Education, (IBSE) in order to offer the students a better understanding of the light-matter interaction. We have followed the phase separation process in mixtures of an organic monomer and nematic liquid crystals. The systems form liquid crystal droplets in a liquid crystal-saturated monomer matrix and in some cases the emulsions are stable over several months. Homogeneous droplet size distributions are obtained for faster cooling rates. We report the droplet size distribution and the behavior of optical rotation angle of solutions as liquid crystal percentage function. This work is an essential part of an apprenticeship developed during the “Professione Formatore in Didattica delle Scienze” Master, which takes place at the University of Calabria, with the authors taking part in it as trainees and that is gonna end in the month of October 2015.
Keywords