Formation of aqueous molecular nematic liquid crystal phase in poly(p-sulfophenylene sulfoterephthalamide)

We report strong experimental evidence on the formation of a molecular lyotropic phase in water of a modified polyaramide, namely a fully sulfonated poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (Sulfo^2PPTA) that exhibits similar liquid crystalline behaviour in water to its nonsulfonated counterpart (PPTA, commercially known as KevlarR or TwaronR) in sulfuric acid.