Ionic-content dependence of viscoelasticity of the lyotropic chromonic liquid crystal sunset yellow.

A lyotropic chromonic liquid crystal (LCLC) is an orientationally ordered system made by self-assembled aggregates of charged organic molecules in water, bound by weak noncovalent attractive forces and stabilized by electrostatic repulsions. We determine how the ionic content of the LCLC, namely, the presence of mono- and divalent salts and pH enhancing agent, alter the viscoelastic properties of the LCLC. Aqueous solutions of the dye sunset yellow with a uniaxial nematic order are used as an example. By applying a magnetic field to impose orientational deformations, we measure the splay K1, twist K2, and bend K3 elastic constants and rotation viscosity γ1 as a function of concentration of additives. The data indicate that the viscoelastic parameters are influenced by ionic content in dramatic and versatile ways. For example, the monovalent salt NaCl decreases K3 and K2 and increases γ1, while an elevated pH decreases all the parameters. We attribute these features to the ion-induced changes in length and flexibility of building units of LCLC, the chromonic aggregates, a property not found in conventional thermotropic and lyotropic liquid crystals formed by covalently bound units of fixed length.