Effect of Liquid Crystalline Acrylates on the Electro-Optical Properties and Micro-Structures of Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal Films

Abstract

Polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal (PDLC) films have wide applications in light shutters, smart windows for cars and buildings, dimming glasses, and smart peep-proof films due to their switchable optical states under electrical fields as well as large area processibility. They are usually prepared with liquid crystals (LCs) and non-liquid crystalline monomers (NLCMs). Introduction of liquid crystalline monomers (LCMs) into PDLCs might spark new functionality or high-performance devices such as polymer-dispersed and -stabilized liquid crystals. In this study, the effect of molecular structures and doping concentrations of acrylate LCMs on the electro-optical properties and micro-structures of PDLC films is systematically studied. The pore size of polymer networks and the driving voltage of the PDLC films are affected by the molecular polarity and degree of functionality of the LCMs. The electro-optical properties of the PDLC films are affected by the synergistic influence of molecular structure of LCMs and micro-structures of PDLCs. These results might provide the experimental and theoretical basis for constructing the relationship between the molecular structure of LCM, micro-structure and electro-optical response of PDLC films.

Keywords

• liquid crystalline monomers
• acrylates
• polymer-dispersed liquid crystals
• electro-optical properties
• micro-structure