We report on the high-temperature resolution measurements of the optical and thermal parameters of a liquid-crystal–silica nanoparticle colloid, as well as its video inspection, simultaneously performed in an upgraded photopyroelectric calorimeter. Over the nematic-isotropic coexistence region, the determined nematic correlation length, obtained from turbidity measurements, showed the characteristic two-step nematic nucleation process previously reported only for the specific heat.

• Received 18 June 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.78.042701