Novel monomer-liquid crystal mixtures for homeotropically aligned, PSLC films with high optical contrast and fast response times

POSTER

Abstract

Composite systems consisting of polymers and low-molecular-weight liquid crystals have attracted increasing interest over the last years, opening a new field of liquid crystal science and technology research\textbf{. }Liquid crystal-polymer composites include standard polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) and polymer stabilized liquid crystals (PSLCs); macroscopically oriented PSLCs films, also defined as anisotropic gels, are of great interest for electro-optical applications [1-6]. They are prepared by in situ photo-polymerization of a liquid crystal monomer with reactive end groups in an oriented state, in the presence of a non reactive nematic liquid crystal. The orientation is induced by orientational layers applied to the cell surfaces, due to the presence of an electric or a magnetic field. In this work we present results on new liquid crystal-acrylate monomers mixtures used to realize homeotropically aligned polymer-stabilized liquid crystal films (PSLCs) with high transparency and fast electro-optical response times. A detailed investigation of the electro-optical performance and a morphological analysis were performed to explain the correlation between the polymerization condition, the matrix composition and the film properties. \textbf{References} [1] GAUTIER, P., BRUNET, M., GRUPP, J., NOIREZ, L., and ANGLARET, E., 2003, \textit{Phys. Rew. E}, \textbf{68}, 011709. [2] KOSSYREV, P.A., QUI, J., PRIEZJEV, N.V., PELCOVITS, R.A., and CRAWFORD, G.P., 2002, \textit{Appl. Phys. Lett.}, \textbf{81}, 2986. [3] Liquid Crystals in Complex Geometries, edited by G.P. Crawford and S. Zumer (Taylor and Francis, London, (1996) [4] HIKMET, R.A.M., and BOOTS, H.M.J., 1995, \textit{Phys. Rew. E}, \textbf{51}, 5824. [5] HIKMET, R.A.M., and HOWARD, R., 1993, \textit{Phys. Rew. E}, \textbf{48}, 2752. [6] HIKMET, R.A.M., 1992, \textit{Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst}, \textbf{213}, 117.

Authors

  • Luana Tortora

  • Vishal Pandya

    Plasma Dynamics Corp., Department of Chemistry, University of Calabria, P. Bucci-15c, 87036 Rende (CS), ITALY, Air Force Institute of Technology, Gothenburg University, Sweden, Denison University, Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Department of Physics, John Carroll University, Department of Chemistry, The University of Akron, Department of Phyiscs, The University of Akron, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Czech Republic, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD, Kent State University, Kent OH, University of Iowa, Physics Dept., Cleveland State University, Ohio State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, The Ohio State University, University of Akron, NASA Glenn Research Center, National Center For Space Exploration Research, Penn State College of Medicine, Department of Physics, Kent State University

  • Vishal Pandya

    Plasma Dynamics Corp., Department of Chemistry, University of Calabria, P. Bucci-15c, 87036 Rende (CS), ITALY, Air Force Institute of Technology, Gothenburg University, Sweden, Denison University, Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Department of Physics, John Carroll University, Department of Chemistry, The University of Akron, Department of Phyiscs, The University of Akron, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Czech Republic, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD, Kent State University, Kent OH, University of Iowa, Physics Dept., Cleveland State University, Ohio State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, The Ohio State University, University of Akron, NASA Glenn Research Center, National Center For Space Exploration Research, Penn State College of Medicine, Department of Physics, Kent State University

  • Vishal Pandya

    Plasma Dynamics Corp., Department of Chemistry, University of Calabria, P. Bucci-15c, 87036 Rende (CS), ITALY, Air Force Institute of Technology, Gothenburg University, Sweden, Denison University, Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Department of Physics, John Carroll University, Department of Chemistry, The University of Akron, Department of Phyiscs, The University of Akron, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Czech Republic, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD, Kent State University, Kent OH, University of Iowa, Physics Dept., Cleveland State University, Ohio State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, The Ohio State University, University of Akron, NASA Glenn Research Center, National Center For Space Exploration Research, Penn State College of Medicine, Department of Physics, Kent State University

  • Vishal Pandya

    Plasma Dynamics Corp., Department of Chemistry, University of Calabria, P. Bucci-15c, 87036 Rende (CS), ITALY, Air Force Institute of Technology, Gothenburg University, Sweden, Denison University, Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Department of Physics, John Carroll University, Department of Chemistry, The University of Akron, Department of Phyiscs, The University of Akron, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Czech Republic, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD, Kent State University, Kent OH, University of Iowa, Physics Dept., Cleveland State University, Ohio State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, The Ohio State University, University of Akron, NASA Glenn Research Center, National Center For Space Exploration Research, Penn State College of Medicine, Department of Physics, Kent State University