Cubic phases thermotropic behaviour

Most of the lyotropic cubic phases show a thermotropic behaviour, i.e. they melt at a characteristic temperature to an isotropic micellar phase without any elasticity and yield stress values. This melting process is connected with a heat of melting , and is reversible below the melting temperature, the system returns back to the cubic gel phase. An interesting behaviour is shown by the cubic phases in the (POEXAPOP)v(POE) /water systems these phases show a reverse thermotropic behaviour, i.e. they melt below a characteristic temperature and return to the stiff gel state above this temperature. This is due to the hydration of the hydrophobic POP blocks below the characteristic temperature, the POP units are hydrated and... 

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