Back to Search Start Over

Nanostructured Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystals Using a Ferroelectric Smectic A Liquid Crystal.

Authors :
Yamaguchi M
Matsukizono H
Okumura Y
Kikuchi H
Source :
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) [Molecules] 2024 Oct 12; Vol. 29 (20). Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Oct 12.
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

Nanostructured polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (nano-PDLCs) are transparent and optically isotropic materials in which submicron-sized liquid crystal (LC) domains are dispersed within a polymer matrix. Nano-PDLCs can induce birefringence by applying an electric field ( E -field) based on the reorientation of the LC molecules. If nano-PDLCs are utilized as light-scattering-less birefringence memory materials, it is necessary to suppress the relaxation of the LC molecule orientation after the removal of the E -field. We focused on the ferroelectric smectic A (SmA) phase to suppress the relaxation of LC molecules, owing to its layered structure and high viscosity. Although nano-PDLCs require a strong E -field to reorient their LC molecules because of the anchoring effect at the LC/polymer interface, the required field strength can be reduced using a ferroelectric smectic A (SmA <subscript>F</subscript> ) LC with a large dielectric constant. In this study, we fabricated a nano-PDLC by shining an ultraviolet light on a mixture comprised an SmA <subscript>F</subscript> LC, photocurable monomers, and a photo-initiator. The electro-birefringence effect was evaluated using polarizing optical microscopy. After the removal of the E -field, an enhanced memory effect was observed in the sample using SmA <subscript>F</subscript> LC compared with nematic LC-based nano-PDLCs.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1420-3049
Volume :
29
Issue :
20
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
39459206
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29204837