EXOCAM: Mars in a box to simulate soil-atmosphere interactions.

We present the principle of the EXOCAM chamber, devoted to the study of physical-chemical interactions between the atmosphere and the surface and subsurface in Mars conditions. The purpose of this experiment is to reach a better knowledge of the physical and chemical processes that altered the atmosphere-soil coupled system. We describe the scientific goals of EXOCAM, the multiple fields that will benefit from this experiment and the instrumentation that is devoted to the analysis of the results. We also give a description of the chamber and its main devices.

Magnetic-field-induced nematic-columnar phase transition in aqueous suspensions of goethite (alpha-FeOOH) nanorods.

Colloidal aqueous suspensions of goethite lath-shaped nanorods form nematic and isotropic phases. We show that they also display a 2D rectangular (c2mm) columnar phase at volume fractions phi larger than 15%. Interestingly, the nematic-columnar first-order transition can also be triggered by applying to the nematic phase a magnetic field of intensity decreasing with phi (1 T at 8.5%; 0.5 T at 12%). Single domains of the columnar phase were thus produced and their structure investigated by synchrotron x-ray scattering. This magnetic-field-induced transition is fully reversible and reproducible.

Physical properties of aqueous suspensions of goethite (alpha-FeOOH) nanorods. Part II: In the nematic phase.

At volume fractions larger than 8.5%, aqueous suspensions of lath-like goethite (alpha-FeOOH) nanorods form a lyotropic nematic phase. In this article, we first discuss the nematic ordering within statistical-physics models of the isotropic/nematic phase transition. We then describe the influence of a magnetic field on the nematic phase. Because the nanorods bear permanent magnetic moments, the nematic suspensions have dipolar order and very low Frederiks thresholds. Moreover, the nematic phase aligns parallel to a small magnetic field but realigns perpendicular to a high field because of a competition between the permanent moments of the nanorods and their negative anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility. This magneto-optical study of the nematic phase is completely consistent with that of the isotropic phase of the same suspensions published in Part I (this issue, p. 291). Besides, we demonstrate the field-induced biaxiality of a nematic single domain aligned perpendicular to the field. We also describe here preliminary experiments where an a.c. electric field is applied to the nematic phase. Both field amplitude and frequency were found to control the alignment direction and homeotropic-to-planar alignment transitions were observed. From this data, simple models were used to estimate some physical constants of the nematic phase.

Outstanding magnetic properties of nematic suspensions of goethite (alpha-FeOOH) nanorods.

Aqueous suspensions of goethite (alpha-FeOOH) nanorods form a mineral lyotropic nematic phase that aligns in a very low magnetic field (20 mT for samples 20 microm thick). The particles orient along the field direction at intensities smaller than 350 mT, but they reorient perpendicular to the field beyond 350 mT. This outstanding behavior is also observed in the isotropic phase which has a very strong magnetic-field induced birefringence that could be interesting for applications. We interpret these magnetic effects as resulting from a competition between a nanorod remanent magnetic moment and a negative anisotropy of its magnetic susceptibility.

Physical properties of aqueous suspensions of goethite (alpha-FeOOH) nanorods. Part I: In the isotropic phase.

Depending on volume fraction, aqueous suspensions of goethite (alpha-FeOOH) nanorods form a liquid-crystalline nematic phase (above 8.5%) or an isotropic liquid phase (below 5.5%). In this article, we investigate by small-angle X-ray scattering, magneto-optics, and magnetometry the influence of a magnetic field on the isotropic phase. After a brief description of the synthesis and characterisation of the goethite nanorod suspensions, we show that the disordered phase becomes very anisotropic under a magnetic field that aligns the particles. Moreover, we observe that the nanorods align parallel to a small field (< 350 mT), but realign perpendicular to a large enough field (> 350 mT). This phenomenon is interpreted as due to the competition between the influence of the nanorod permanent magnetic moment and a negative anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility. Our interpretation is supported by the behaviour of the suspensions in an alternating magnetic field. Finally, we propose a model that explains all experimental observations in a consistent way.