  Since the early observation of nematic phases of disc-like clay colloids by
Langmuir in 1938, the phase behaviour of such systems has resisted theoretical
understanding. The main reason is that there is no satisfactory generalization
for charged discs of the isotropic DLVO potential describing the effective
interactions between a pair of spherical colloids in an electrolyte. In this
contribution, we show how to construct such a pair potential, incorporating
approximately both the non-linear effects of counter-ion condensation (charge
renormalization) and the anisotropy of the charged platelets. The consequences
on the phase behaviour of Laponite dispersions (thin discs of 30 nm diameter
and 1 nm thickness) are discussed, and investigation into the mesostructure via
Monte Carlo simulations are presented.
