Modification of AFLC Physical Properties by Doping with BaTiO 3 Particles.

In this paper, for the first time, the influence of the BaTiO ₃ particles on the antiferroelectric liquid crystalline phase was shown. Low concentrations and two different sizes of BaTiO ₃ particles (nano- and submicroparticles) were used. It was found that admixture of the ferroelectric particles causes a decrease in the concentration of free ions in the liquid crystal matrix. Despite the small amount of admixture, a decrease in spontaneous polarization, switching time and rotational viscosity, was observed, while the tilt angle of molecules and the smectic layer thickness did not change. It turns out that BaTiO ₃ particles have a very large impact on the dielectric spectra not only in the antiferroelectric phase but also in the ferroelectric and paraelectric phases of the polymorphic mixture studied. The dopants affect also the complex conductivity. In this paper, we explain why some properties are modified by BaTiO ₃ particles and others are not.