Surfactant mesophases mediated by colloidal particles

We have investigated effects of guest colloidal particles on the mesoscopic structures of a surfactant/water system by means of small angle neutron and x-ray scattering techniques. The addition of a small amount of colloidal particles between lamellar slits reduces the undulational fluctuations of lamellae and brings about a lamellar to micelle transition. On the other hand, on addition of colloidal particles into a disordered prolate micelle phase, the micelles deform to a spherical shape. We will discuss these structure changes in terms of the depletion effects due to the presence of colloidal particles.