Observation of quasi two-dimensional nematic order in a system of rigid rods

Abstract
Phospholipid tubules were suspended on the surface of an aqueous solution. At low density, a rarefied nematic phase with weak orientational order was observed. At high density the tubules phase separated into a well ordered high density phase and an isotropic phase with virtually no tubules present. Results are compared to theories for two-dimensional ordering of hard rods