单体浓度对聚合物稳定铁电液晶稳定性的影响

制备了不同单体浓度的聚合物稳定铁电液晶器件,测试了震动实验和热稳定实验前后样品的排列织构、电光特性和对比度.用原子力显微镜研究了各样品的聚合物形貌,表明在器件内部形成了沿摩擦方向延伸的聚合物网络,并且随着单体含量的增加聚合物网络更加致密.由于聚合物网络体锚定的引入,使得铁电液晶分子在外力和温度场下的运动受到限制,聚合物体锚定的增强使聚合物稳定铁电液晶的稳定性也逐渐提高.实验结果表明,单体含量为4％时,聚合物稳定铁电液晶的抗震性和热稳定性良好,电光曲线为无阈值“V”字型,对比度达150∶1.     

不同结构的电控双折射无刻痕光栅研究

用MLC-7700-100向列相液晶制备了不同结构的电控双折射无刻痕液晶光栅.用波长为632.8 nm的He-Ne激光为光源,测量两种液晶光栅的光学衍射特性,用偏光显微镜观察不同电压下两种液晶光栅的液晶分子偏转状态和织构态改变的情况,并进行分析对比.发现双面电极条纹液晶光栅的电控衍射特性比单面电极条纹液晶光栅好.此结果...     

聚合物网络稳定液晶膜的制备与研究

实验发现在液晶中添加少量的预聚物单体,利用光聚合诱导相分离的方法可以形成反型显示模式的聚合物网络稳定液晶膜。该膜在平时呈现透明态,在电场的调节下呈散射态。本文观察了在不同光照时间、不同光强下制得样品的聚合物网络织构,分析了在聚合过程中形成网络的形状、大小与致密程度,并对实验结果进行了相关的讨论。     

用偏光织构及透射光谱分析液晶器件的老化

对一组台式计算器液晶显示器进行了光辐照,研究了光辐照对液晶显示器件显示品质的影响。采用偏光显微镜观察到了辐照后液晶的偏光织构的变化,液晶中出现了平行的条纹状织构和失去消光作用的黑洞,随着接受光辐照时间的增加,黑洞数量越来越多,面积越来越大。通过由计算机控制的双光束紫外-可见分光光度计测试了透射光谱的变化,发现其透射率随着接受光辐照时间的增加而降低。分析结果表明,条纹状织构和黑洞的出现是由于液晶分子结构在紫外线的照射下发生了变化所致,失去消光作用的黑洞是导致液晶器件透射率持续下降的主要原因。     

光诱导液晶中偶氮聚合物形成相光栅的研究

报道了一种新型偶氮聚合物掺杂液晶的复合体系.该体系中的偶氮聚合物在光诱导下发生顺反式异构形成与液晶分离的相光栅.通过建立多指数模型研究该相光栅在He-Ne光的辐照下折射率的变化情况,并且通过对聚合物掺杂液晶的样品加上连续变化的电压来研究其对电场的响应过程.同时研究了聚合物的单体掺杂液晶后随光场和电场的变化情况.结果表明,光诱导下聚合物掺杂液晶的样品折射率改变值经45s达到饱和,弛豫时间为10min;单体掺杂时,饱和时间与弛豫时间分别为0.17s和0.9s.外加电场在1.0V、1.4V、2.6V和4.0V时光栅的衍射效率会突然下降,而单体在变化的外电场下衍射无明显变化.     

液晶聚合物/柔性链聚合物共混体系相分离形态

利用元胞动力学方法在二维情况下对浓度、取向序参量的含时Ginzberg Landau方程进行数值求解 ,研究了液晶聚合物 /柔性链聚合物共混体系的相分离动力学 ,考察了浓度、取向有序过程的耦合对相分离形态的影响 .结果表明 ,此耦合作用对相分离的时间进程以及相分离图样的空间排布都有影响 .液晶聚合物的取向有序相当于增加了两组分间的不相容性而促进两相分离 ;两个序参量在热力学方面的耦合使液晶聚合物趋向于沿着界面方向取向 ,而动力学方面的耦合使液晶聚合物分子沿着其取向方向扩散 ,相分离图样的空间排布由这两种效应共同决定 .通过极化率张量的定义用数值方法模拟得到了相分离体系的小角光散射图样 ,结果表明 ,散射强度分布具有方位角依赖性 ,它是由浓度、取向序参量的空间变化共同决定的 .     

基于聚合物网络液晶的近红外波段快响应相位调制器

相位型液晶空间光调制技术已经广泛应用于自适应光学、信息光学等领域,然而一直存在着响应速度较低的问题。为了提高相位型液晶空间光调制器的响应速度,采用聚合物网络液晶制备近红外波段亚毫秒响应相位调制器,并对其光散射特性和瞬态响应特性进行了研究。通过降低聚合反应温度并提高紫外(UV)固化照度,可以降低器件的光散射强度,实现较好的相位调制。在此基础上,初步研究了聚合物网络形貌对最大光散射强度的影响。在高电压加载下,聚合物网络的电致伸缩效应会极大降低聚合物网络液晶的响应速度,使其达到秒级,经分析认为通过采用高介电各向异性的液晶材料可以降低阈值电压,提高器件的响应速度。     

染料掺杂聚合物分散胆甾相液晶薄膜激光特性研究

采用激光染料DCM、向列相液晶TEB30A、手性剂S-811、聚乙烯醇(PVA), 通过微胶囊法制备了聚合物分散胆甾相液晶薄膜, 测量激光辐射谱, 研究了其激光辐射机理和温度调谐特性. 利用正交偏光显微镜观察器件织构, 看到液晶微滴分散均匀, 尺寸较大, 约为80 μm, 并且微滴中液晶分子呈现平面态排列织构. 以532 nm的Nd:YAG固体激光器作为抽运源, 测得在634.5 nm和680.2 nm波长处出现了尖锐的激光辐射峰, 线宽分别约为0.25 nm, 0.29 nm. 并与染料掺杂胆甾相液晶激光器件进行比较. 升高器件温度, 其输出激光波长蓝移, 获得666.7 nm至643.9 nm共22.8 nm的调谐范围. 由实验结果分析得出, 激光辐射机理为光子禁带末端激光, 出射波长分别对应光子禁带的两个边沿.     

用于电响应红外反射窗的液晶聚合物薄膜特性研究

提出了一种红外反射器件,通过载体液晶在电场下的转向控制胆甾型液晶聚合物粒子在器件中的排布方向,实现红外反射与透射之间切换.其中,胆甾型液晶聚合物粒子是实现红外反射关键.介绍了胆甾型液晶聚合物薄膜的制备方法,并采用超声波破碎的方法制备液晶粒子.研究了液晶混合物中不同比例的交联剂液晶1对液晶聚合物薄膜脆性和反射波段的影响,发现当液晶1占100%时,液晶聚合物薄膜的脆性最大,且其清亮点最高,并且薄膜的反射波段随着液晶1比例的增加而向短波方向偏移.同时,研究了薄膜厚度对液晶聚合物粒子的影响,发现液晶薄膜厚度越小,制备的液晶聚合物粒子越小且越均匀,其制成的器件电驱动性更好.该研究有利于帮助电响应红外反射窗的性能优化.     

连续变焦的聚合物分散液晶电控透镜

介绍了一种基于聚合物分散液晶材料的连续调焦电控透镜.在聚合物分散液晶盒的上表面电极上刻蚀圆孔,形成一个非对称电极,在液晶盒上下极板之间,诱发一个非均匀电场,从而引起聚合物分散液晶材料的折射率非均匀分布,形成电控变焦透镜.阐述了聚合物分散液晶可调焦透镜的基本原理,分析了透镜孔径对聚合物分散液晶透镜焦距的影响,在直径3mm和6mm的圆孔条件下,分别测量了透镜焦距随电压的变化关系.结果表明:电压从50V加到170V的过程中,透镜焦距逐渐减短,刻蚀3mm圆孔的聚合物分散液晶盒焦距从1.361 63m到0.429 21m,刻蚀6mm圆孔的聚合物分散液晶盒焦距从1.769 92m到0.548 43m.     

Buckling instability in liquid crystalline physical gels

In a nematic gel we observe a low-energy buckling deformation arising from soft and semisoft elastic modes. We prepare the self-assembled gel by dissolving a coil-side-group liquid-crystalline polymer-coil copolymer in a nematic liquid crystal. The gel has long network strands and a precisely tailored structure, making it ideal for studying nematic rubber elasticity. Under polarized optical microscopy we observe a striped texture that forms when gels uniformly aligned at 35 degrees C are cooled to room temperature. We model the instability using the molecular theory of nematic rubber elasticity, and the theory correctly captures the change in pitch length with sample thickness and polymer concentration. This buckling instability is a clear example of a low-energy deformation that arises in materials where polymer network strains are coupled to the director orientation.     

Linear and non-linear dielectric properties of a short-pitch ferroelectric liquid crystal stabilized by a polymer network

Linear and non-linear dielectric measurements were carried out on a ferroelectric liquid crystal stabilized by an anisotropic polymer network. The polymerization process was achieved at room temperature. It was performed from an achiral monomer in the ferroelectric chiral smectic C phase, exhibiting a very short helical pitch and a large polarization. The linear and non-linear dielectric spectroscopy were also completed by textural morphology as well as structural and ferroelectric characterizations. All these measurements were carried out on a pure ferroelectric liquid crystal material and on composite films containing two polymer concentrations. The increase of the polymer network density leads to a decrease of the dielectric strength determined in the linear and non-linear dielectric spectroscopy. The complementarity between the linear and non-linear dielectric measurements and their confrontation with a theoretical model allowed the simultaneous determination of some physical parameters such as macroscopic polarization, rotational viscosity and twist elastic energy. We also discuss the effect of the polymer network density on the obtained physical parameters.     

聚合温度及铁电液晶有序度对单体转化率的影响

采用琉醇和丙烯酸的混合物作为反应单体,利用红外光谱仪检测反应前后单体的C=C双键吸收峰的变化,研究了温度对单体转化率的影响。制备了单体含量为10%的聚合物稳定铁电液晶器件,研究了铁电液晶有序度对单体的影响。实验表明:随着温度的增加单体的转化率增加,随着铁电液晶有序度的增加单体的转化率增加;在铁电液晶中单体的转化率主要受有序度的影响;制备聚合物稳定铁电液晶器件最佳的聚合条件为近晶A相(SmA)下聚合。     

Distortion and unwinding of the helical structure in polymer-stabilized short-pitch ferroelectric liquid crystal

We report the effect of an anisotropic polymer network formed from an achiral photoreactive monomer in a short-pitch chiral SmC* phase on the distortion and the unwinding of the helical structure of the ferroelectric phase. The electro-optical behaviour and ferroelectric properties were experimentally determined for films containing various polymer concentrations. The critical field, E_u, for the transition from the distorted structure to the homogeneous state was measured as a function of polymer concentration. A linear increase of E_u versus polymer concentration was observed, showing that the helical structure of the short-pitch SmC* phase was stabilized by the polymer network. This behaviour was expected to be a consequence of the increase of the apparent elastic constants of the ferroelectric liquid crystal stabilized by the anisotropic polymer network films. The polymer network morphology was investigated using atomic-force microscopy, revealing a twisted structure of the polymer fibers. This twisted structure was transferred onto a polymer network during the polymerization process within a short-pitch SmC* phase. The increase of the apparent elasticity can then be interpreted by a strong interaction between polymer network and the liquid-crystal molecules. From our experimental data, the coupling coefficient, W_p, characterizing this interaction was evaluated for all studied polymer concentrations.     

Dielectric spectroscopy of Polymer Stabilised Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals

Dielectric measurements were carried out in the frequency range from 20Hz to 500kHz on Polymer Stabilised Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals (PSFLCs). Polymerisation in the Smectic A* (Sm A*) and the Smectic C* (Sm C*) phase at equal polymer concentration results in a dielectric strength which is nearly twice the value in the latter case. An increase of the polymer concentration results in a decrease of the dielectric strength and an increase in relaxation frequency. The textural morphology and transmission intensity due to the residual birefringence of the polymer network in the isotropic phase, revealed a correlation between the interactions of the liquid crystal molecules with the polymer network. Results for polymerising in the tilted Sm C* phase with a large bias field are also reported which show that the structure of the phase in which the system was polymerised affects the dielectric properties. The observed differences in dielectric behaviour can be explained by the polymer network morphology formed due to the interplay of phase and temperature on the stabilised ferroelectric liquid crystal materials.     

Effect of polymer viscosity on morphological and electro-optic properties of aligned polymer dispersed ferroelectric liquid crystal composite films

A room temperature ferroelectric liquid crystal mixture was dispersed in UV curable polymers of different viscosity in 30:70 wt/wt ratio. These polymer dispersed ferroelectric liquid crystal (PDFLC) composite films were prepared by polymerization induced phase separation technique. It was found that the polymer viscosity influences the droplet size and the electro-optic properties. The spontaneous polarization of PDFLC decreases with an increase in polymer viscosity. The droplet morphology and electro-optic properties of these materials have been investigated in an aligned configuration.     

Field-induced phase transitions and reversible field-induced inversion of chirality in tilted smectic phases of bent-core mesogens

Three homologous achiral five-ring bent-core mesogens are presented where 4-chlororesorcinol is the central core and the aromatic rings are linked by ester groups. These compounds form smectic phases with a tilted arrangement of the molecules (tilt angle ≈ 45^°). On cooling the isotropic liquid this phase adopts a fan-like texture which shows for two homologues at relatively high electric fields ( 25-35V μm^-1) an antiferroelectric electro-optical response based on the collective rotation of the molecules around their long axes. At lower temperature the application of a sufficiently high electric field leads to a continuous transition into a non-birefringent texture which exhibits randomly distributed domains of opposite handedness. These domains can be reversibly switched into a state of opposite chirality by reversal of the field polarity. This switching is bistable and shows a current response typical for a ferroelectric ground state. The possible mechanism of the field-induced phase transition, of the ferroelectric switching and of the field-induced inversion of the chirality is discussed on the base of XRD, ¹³C- and ¹H-NMR investigations, dielectric and electro-optical measurements.     

Phase separated composite films of liquid crystals

Phase separation of liquid crystals from a solution with polymers has long been studied and used to prepare polymer stabilized and polymer dispersed structures. They are formed by spatially isotropic phase separation. A new mode, in which the phase separation proceeds anisotropically, has recently been discovered. Known as phase separated composite films (PSCOF), the resultant structures are made of adjacent parallel layers of liquid crystal and solidified polymer. PSCOFs have been made with nematic, ferroelectric (FLC), and antiferroelectric (AFLC) liquid crystals. Liquid crystals in PSCOFs exhibit electro-optical properties not observed in devices prepared by conventional methods, polymer dispersion, or polymer stabilization methods. Devices incorporating FLCs possess grey scale and switch 100 times faster at low fields than conventional surface stabilized devices. This method makes it possible to prepare very flexible devices and devices with liquid crystal film thickness comparable to optical wavelengths with great ease.     

Electrically tunable holographic polymer templated blue phase liquid crystal grating

In this paper,we demonstrate an alternative approach to fabricating an electrically tunable holographic polymer templated blue phase liquid crystal grating.This grating is obtained by preforming a polymer template comprised of periodic fringes,and then refilling it with a blue phase liquid crystal.Compared with conventional holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal gratings,our grating can remarkably reduce its switching voltage from 200 V to 43 V while maintaining a sub-millisecond response time.The holographic polymer templated blue phase liquid crystal(HPTBPLC) grating is free from electrode patterning,thus leading to a lower cost and more flexible applications.