Examples of lyotropic liquid crystals can also be generated using 2D nanosheets. The most striking example of a true nematic phase has been demonstrated for many smectite clays. The issue of the existence of such a lyotropic phase was raised by Langmuir in 1938, but remained an open question for a very long time and was only confirmed recently.  With the rapid development of nanosciences, and the synthesis of many new anisotropic 2D nanoparticles, the number of such Nematic mesophase based on 2D nanosheet has increased quickly, with, for example graphene oxide colloidal suspensions.
Noteworhty, a lamellar phase was even discovered, HSbPO, which exhibits hyperswelling up to ~250 nm for the interlamellar distance.