Study on the Polymer Morphology and Electro-Optical Performance of Acrylate/Epoxy Resin-Based Polymer-Stabilized Liquid Crystals Based on Stepwise Photopolymerization
Yishuo Wu,
Guangyang Shang,
Cong Ma,
Yingjie Shi,
Zhexu Song,
Peixiang Wang,
Yanzi Gao,
Qian Wang,
Meina Yu,
Jiumei Xiao,
Cheng Zou
Affiliations
Yishuo Wu
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Guangyang Shang
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Cong Ma
Strategic Business Unit of Chlor-Alkali, Sinochem Group, Beijing 100031, China
Yingjie Shi
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Zhexu Song
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Peixiang Wang
Yantai Xianhua Technology Group Co., Ltd., Yantai 264006, China
Yanzi Gao
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Qian Wang
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Meina Yu
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Jiumei Xiao
School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Cheng Zou
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Stepwise photopolymerization is a miraculous strategy modulating the polymer skeleton and electro-optical properties of light modulators based on liquid crystal/polymer composites. However, owing to the indistinct polymerization mechanism and curing condition discrepancy, the required polymer structures and electro-optical properties are hard to be controlled precisely. Herein, a novel polymer-stabilized liquid crystal film based on acrylate/epoxy resin is proposed, fabricated and the relationships between preparation process, polymer content, polymer morphology and electro-optical properties are studied. The in-situ photopolymerization of acrylate/epoxy resin liquid crystalline polymer is fulfilled using cation photo-initiator UV 6976. The distinct photopolymerization speed between acrylate and epoxy resin benefits the polymer morphology control, and with accurate containment of the polymerization process and polymer composition, the superior electro-optical properties at a higher polymer content are acquired. The polymer morphology and electro-optical properties are influenced by the polymer content and mass ratio between acrylate and epoxy resin. The best electro-optical properties among samples are attained by controlling the mass ratio between acrylate and epoxy resin to 1:1, integrating higher densities of scattering centers and lower anchoring effect. With higher polymer content, the strategy of increasing the mass ratio of E6M benefits the improvement of E-O properties for alleviating polymer density. This work provides insights to stepwise polymerization of liquid crystalline monomers and offers a fancy strategy for the preparation of novel liquid crystal dimming films.
