EVIDENCE OF A PHENOMENON OF EPITAXY AT THE INTERFACE BETWEEN A LAMELLAR L(ALPHA) PHASE AND A L(3) SPONGE

In the quasiternary lyotropic system CpCl/brine/hexanol, the interface between the lamellar L(alpha) and the ''sponge'' L(3) phase adopts ge ometries characteristic of a tilted anchoring of the lamellar layers o n the sponge phase. Quantitative measurements of this new phenomenon a re performed at equilibrium. Additionally: the evolution of the charac teristic distances d(alpha) and d(3) of the two phases in the biphasic region with swelling variation was determined by x-ray scattering. Ou r results support the hypothesis of an epitaxial matching between the two phases.