• Open Access

Hidden linear defects in surfactant onions revealed by coalescence into lamellar layers

Yoshimasa Izaki, Rei Kurita, and Hajime Tanaka
Phys. Rev. Research 3, 043094 – Published 1 November 2021
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Abstract

The onion-like multilamellar structure is ubiquitous in various soft materials, such as surfactant solutions, biological membranes, and block copolymers, as well as hard materials such as carbon. Onions appear to be perfectly spherical, giving the impression that it has a point-symmetric, seamless, and defect-free internal structure. Here, we focus on surfactant onions formed in the sponge phase and experimentally study whether the interior of surfactant onions is defect-free and isolated from the surrounding matrix or not. By directly observing the coalescence process between onions and a planar lamellar domain with optical microscopy, we have demonstrated that the onions do not have a completely closed structure but have a linear array of defects along the radial direction formed upon onion formation. In other words, the onion structure is symmetric axially but not spherically, like the plant-onion structure. This discovery of the hidden breakdown of spherical symmetry sheds fresh light on the onion's internal topology and formation mechanism.

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  • Received 17 May 2021
  • Accepted 1 October 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.3.043094

Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

Published by the American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Polymers & Soft Matter

Authors & Affiliations

Yoshimasa Izaki1, Rei Kurita1,2, and Hajime Tanaka1,3,*

  • 1Department of Fundamental Engineering, Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan
  • 2Department of Physics, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minamioosawa, Hachiouji-shi, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
  • 3Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan

  • *tanaka@iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp

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Issue

Vol. 3, Iss. 4 — November - December 2021

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