Maurice C. D. Mourad

Bio: Maurice C. D. Mourad is an academic researcher from Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research. The author has contributed to research in topics: Liquid crystal & Layered double hydroxides. The author has an hindex of 15, co-authored 26 publications receiving 496 citations. Previous affiliations of Maurice C. D. Mourad include London Centre for Nanotechnology & Utrecht University.

Antireflective Coatings for Glass and Transparent Polymers

Abstract: Antireflective coatings (ARCs) are applied to reduce surface reflections. We review coatings that reduce the reflection of the surface of the transparent substrates float glass, polyethylene terephthalate, poly(methyl methacrylate), and polycarbonate. Three main coating concepts exist to lower the reflection at the interface of a transparent substrate and air: multilayer interference coatings, graded index coatings, and quarter-wave coatings. We introduce and discuss these three concepts, and zoom in on porous quarter-wave coatings comprising colloidal particles. We extensively discuss the four routes for introducing porosity in quarter-wave coatings through the use of colloidal particles, which have the highest potential for application: (1) packing of dense nanospheres, (2) integration of voids through hollow nanospheres, (3) integration of voids through sacrificial particle templates, and (4) packing of nonspherical nanoparticles. Finally, we address the remaining challenges in the field of ARCs, and elaborate on potential strategies for future research in this area.

Sol-gel transitions and liquid crystal phase transitions in concentrated aqueous suspensions of colloidal gibbsite platelets

Abstract: In this paper, we present a comprehensive study of the sol-gel transitions and liquid crystal phase transitions in aqueous suspensions of positively charged colloidal gibbsite platelets at pH 4-5 over a wide range of particle concentrations (50-600 g/L) and salt concentrations (10(-4)-10(-1) M NaCl). A detailed sol-gel diagram was established by oscillatory rheological experiments. These demonstrate the presence of kinetically arrested states both at high and at low salt concentrations, enclosing a sol region. Birefringence and iridescence show that in the sol state nematic and hexagonal columnar liquid crystal phases are formed. The gel and liquid crystal structures are studied in further detail using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and cryo-focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy (cryo-FIB-SEM). The gel formed at high salt concentration shows signatures of a sponge-like structure and does not display birefringence. In the sol region, by lowering the salt concentration and/or increasing the gibbsite concentration, the nematic phase gradually transforms from the discotic nematic (ND) into the columnar nematic (NC) with much stronger side-to-side interparticle correlations. Subsequently, this NC structure can be either transformed into the hexagonal columnar phase or arrested into a birefringent repulsive gel state with NC structure.

Structural transformation of layered double hydroxides: an in situ TEM analysis

Abstract: A comprehensive nanoscale understanding of layered double hydroxide thermal evolution is critical for their current and future applications as catalysts, flame retardants and oxygen evolution performers. In this report, we applied in situ transmission electron microscopy to extensively characterise the thermal progressions of nickel-iron containing LDH nanomaterials. The combinative approach of TEM and selected area electron diffraction yielded both a morphological and crystallographic understanding of such processes. As the Ni-Fe LDH nanomaterials are heated in situ, an amorphization occurred at 250 °C, followed by a transition to a heterogeneous structure of NiO particles embedded throughout a NiFe2O4 matrix at 850 °C, confirmed by high-resolution TEM and scanning TEM. Further electron microscopy characterisation methodologies of energy-filtered TEM were utilised to directly observe these mechanistic behaviours in real time, showing an evolution and nucleation to an array of spherical NiO nanoparticles on the platelet surfaces. The versatility of this characterisation approach was verified by the analogous behaviours of Ni-Fe LDH materials heated ex situ as well as parallel in situ TEM and SAED comparisons to that of an akin magnesium-aluminium containing LDH structure. The in situ TEM work hereby discussed allows for a state-of-the-art understanding of the Ni-Fe material thermal evolution. This is an important first, which reveals pivotal information, especially when considering LDH applications as catalysts and flame retardants. © 2018, The Author.

Formation of nematic liquid crystals of sterically stabilized layered double hydroxide platelets.

Abstract: Colloidal platelets of hydrotalcite, a layered double hydroxide, have been prepared by coprecipitation at pH 11-12 of magnesium nitrate and aluminum nitrate at two different magnesium to aluminum ratios. Changing the temperature and ionic strength during hydrothermal treatment, the platelets were tailored to different sizes and aspect ratios. Amino-modified polyisobutylene molecules were grafted onto the platelets following a convenient new route involving freeze-drying. Organic dispersions in toluene were prepared of the particles with the largest size and highest aspect ratio. The colloidal dispersions prepared in this way showed isotropic-nematic phase transitions above a limiting concentration in a matter of days. The number density at the transition and the width of the biphasic region were determined and compared to theory. The orientation of the platelets in nematic droplets (tactoids) and at the isotropic-nematic interface were analyzed by polarization microscopy. It was observed that sedimentation induces a nematic layer in samples that are below the limiting concentration for isotropic-nematic phase separation. No nematic phase was observed in the initial aqueous suspensions of the ungrafted particles.

Shape-induced frustration of hexagonal order in polyhedral colloids.

Abstract: The effect of a nonspherical particle shape and shape polydispersity on the structure of densely packed hard colloidal particles was studied in real space by confocal microscopy. We show that the first layer at the wall of concentrated size-monodisperse but shape-polydisperse polyhedral colloids exhibits significant deviations from a hexagonal lattice. These deviations are identified as bond-orientational fluctuations which lead to percolating “mismatch lines.” While the shape-induced geometrical frustration of the hexagonal symmetry suppresses translational order, bond-orientational order is clearly retained, indicating a hexaticlike structure of the polyhedral colloids

Aqueous Liquid Crystals of Graphene Oxide

Abstract: The formation of liquid crystals (LCs) is the most viable approach to produce macroscopic, periodic self-assembled materials from oriented graphene sheets. Herein, we have discovered that well-soluble and single-layered graphene oxide (GO) sheets can exhibit nematic liquid crystallinity in water and first established their isotropic−nematic solid phase diagram versus mass fraction and salt concentration. The zeta potential of GO dispersion is around −64 mV, and its absolute value decreases with increasing salt concentration, implying that the electrostatic repulsive force between negatively charged GO sheets is the dominant interaction in the system of GOLCs and also explaining the salt-dependent phase behavior. For single-layer GO sheets with average diameter of 2.1 μm and polydispersity index of 83%, the isotropic−nematic phase transition occurs at a mass concentration of ∼0.025%, and a stable nematic phase forms at ∼0.5%. Rheological measurements showed that GO aqueous dispersions performed as typical ...

A fresh look at the Laponite phase diagram

Abstract: By reviewing experimental and theoretical works, we discuss the phase diagram of Laponite suspensions, with the aim of clarifying several issues that have caused a long-time controversy on the system. We claim that, if aging and sample preparation are correctly taken into account, a unifying picture emerges from different experimental studies. Multiple non-ergodic states are identified, including a low concentration equilibrium gel and a high concentration Wigner glass in the absence of salt. These findings are critically discussed also with respect to recent evidence of phase separation at extremely low densities and to existing theoretical and numerical works.

Confocal microscopy of colloids

Abstract: Colloids have increasingly been used to characterize or mimic many aspects of atomic and molecular systems. With confocal microscopy these colloidal particles can be tracked spatially in three dimensions with great precision over large time scales. This review discusses equilibrium phases such as crystals and liquids, and non-equilibrium phases such as glasses and gels. The phases that form depend strongly on the type of particle interaction that dominates. Hard-sphere-like colloids are the simplest, and interactions such as the attractive depletion force and electrostatic repulsion result in more non-trivial phases which can better model molecular materials. Furthermore, shearing or otherwise externally forcing these colloids while under microscopic observation helps connect the microscopic particle dynamics to the macroscopic flow behaviour. Finally, directions of future research in this field are discussed.