Polymer‐dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) represent an important new class of materials with electro‐optic applications such as flexible displays, large‐area devices projection displays, electrically switchable windows, etc. On considering such applications of these materials, many studies have been performed on the experimental side. Similarly, research on the simulation side for the PDLCs is of the fundamental interest too. The present article contains a short review on the present and past simulation studies of PDLCs. Various molecular simulation approaches applied to PDLC systems by different groups are reviewed here. In addition some new findings of the bulk phases are also extensively described.
The dispersion of single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in a non‐polar solvent is controlled with a series of polystyrene‐block‐polybutadiene‐block‐polystyrene (PSBS) block copolymers that contain cholesteryl chloroformate (CC) in side‐chains. Esterification of CC with the partially hydroxylated polybutadiene (PB) blocks allows one to tune the polarity of the block copolymers, which decreases with the amount of CC attached. An excellent dispersion of weak polar SWNTs is observed with PSBS that contains a partially hydroxylated PB block. The dispersion is then significantly deteriorated when the amount of non‐polar CC moieties increases in the block copolymers. A good dispersion is achieved with a polymer that gives rise to strong SWNT–polymer interactions, which ensures contact of the polymer molecules with the nanotube surface, rather than a good solubility of the polymer dispersant in solvent. The stability of the SWNTs in solution arises from unique needle‐like nanowires of the block copolymer aligned perpendicular to the nanotube axis.
A polymer system based on polydiacetylene (PDA) supramolecules that emits red, green, and blue fluorescence has been constructed. The three‐color emitting system is comprised of red‐fluorescent PDA vesicles in which green‐fluorescent fluorescein molecules are encapsulated. Finally, the blue‐fluorescence component is introduced by reacting terminal amine groups on the PDA vesicle surfaces with fluorescamine. Thin PDA‐polymer‐containing poly(vinyl alcohol) films formed by using this strategy display red, green, and blue fluorescence upon excitation with light at specific wavelengths.
Multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) purified by acidic solution were processed with PMMA via an in‐situ polymerization. Experimental evidences indicate the role of radical initiator (AIBN) and MWNT, showing increases of polymerization rate and MWNT diameter. Induced radicals on the MWNT by AIBN were found to trigger the grafting of PMMA. Moreover, the solvent cast film showed a better nanoscopic dispersion of MWNT and possibilities of CNT composites in engineering applications.
Fractured surface of multi‐walled carbon nanotube composite with PMMA prepared by in‐situ bulk polymerization. 相似文献
