Model for coherent transmittance calculation for polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

This paper analyses the methods of calculating the coherent (direct) transmittance of polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films which are polymer-based films with embedded liquid crystal droplets. By comparison with experimental data it is shown that at a high concentration of LC droplets, Beer's law, which is frequently used, leads to large errors in calculations of the transmittance of PDLC films. To calculate coherent transmittance, it is expedient to use the interference approximation which takes into account the interference of waves scattered by individual LC droplets and leads to much more accurate results.     

Copolymerizable initiator for improved polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

The problems of photoinitiator contamination are addressed for the liquid crystal phase in polymer dispersed liquid crystal films formed by photopolymerization induced phase separation of liquid crystal from monomer solutions. Initiator contamination lowers the clearing point of the liquid crystal phase, and decreases the photostability and resistivity of the polymer dispersed liquid crystal. These problems are minimized by replacing the conventional photoinitiators with copolymerizable initiators which become incorporated in the polymer phase as it separates. Copolymerizable photoinitiators are studied and used to form polymer dispersed liquid crystals with higher clearing point liquid crystal phases, higher resistivity, and better photostability than polymer dispersed liquid crystals formed with conventional photoinitiators. These improvements provide very significant advantages for many polymer dispersed liquid crystal applications.     

Copolymerizable initiator for improved polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

Abstract

The problems of photoinitiator contamination are addressed for the liquid crystal phase in polymer dispersed liquid crystal films formed by photopolymerization induced phase separation of liquid crystal from monomer solutions. Initiator contamination lowers the clearing point of the liquid crystal phase, and decreases the photostability and resistivity of the polymer dispersed liquid crystal. These problems are minimized by replacing the conventional photoinitiators with copolymerizable initiators which become incorporated in the polymer phase as it separates. Copolymerizable photoinitiators are studied and used to form polymer dispersed liquid crystals with higher clearing point liquid crystal phases, higher resistivity, and better photostability than polymer dispersed liquid crystals formed with conventional photoinitiators. These improvements provide very significant advantages for many polymer dispersed liquid crystal applications.     

High on-state clarity polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

Abstract

Results are presented which show that the on-state clarity of a UV cured polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) film depends on the refractive index of the final polymer in the PDLC film, the ordinary refractive index of the liquid crystal, the solubility of the liquid crystal in the prepolymer and the rate at which the film is cured. Liquid crystal mixtures for use in PDLC films are chosen such that the ordinary refractive index of the liquid crystal is equal to the refractive index of the polymer matrix. It has been shown previously that a large quantity of liquid crystal remains dissolved in the polymer matrix, thus increasing the mismatch between the refractive index of the polymer and the ordinary refractive index of the liquid crystal and therefore reducing the on-state clarity. For liquid crystal mixtures which have high solubility in the prepolymer (>60 per cent) the mismatch in the refractive indices can be very large and the on-state clarity of the resulting film can be very poor (T _on<70 per cent). Results are presented which show that it is possible to increase the on-state clarity of such films by increasing the rate at which these films cure. If the liquid crystal is less soluble in the prepolymer (<45 per cent), a PDLC film formed from such a liquid crystal/ prepolymer system often has very good on-state clarity (T _on>75 per cent) be it cured slowly or quickly. Results are also presented which show that in order to achieve a true measure of on-state clarity it is necessary to use a small collection angle (<3°) in the detecting optics. If larger collection angles are used, the photodetector collects light which is scattered out of the specular beam, thus leading to a false measure of on-state clarity.     

Studies of polymer ball type polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

'Reverse' or 'polymer ball' polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) samples were prepared by a photopolymerization induced phase separation method. A detailed study of the effects of the sample preparation parameters, such as curing time, curing intensity, and liquid crystal concentration are reported. It was found that by adjusting these parameters, we were able to change the morphology of these 'polymer ball' PDLC samples and thus change their optical characteristics. Incomplete polymerization of the PDLC samples results in a higher threshold voltage and a lower ON state transmission. When the amount of monomer is too low, the shape of the resulting polymer ball becomes irregular, and the sample has a larger threshold voltage and a larger saturation voltage.     

Striped pattern formation in polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

Composite films of polymer and liquid crystal (LC) have been prepared by a simple solution casting technique. The films obtained exhibit a polymer dispersed liquid crystal structure where LC droplets are dispersed in the polymer matrix. Casting the mixture of polymer solution and LC on a tilted substrate results in a specific texture in which arrays of LC droplets align parallel to each other, i.e. a striped pattern can be formed. The size of the droplets and the spacing between the lines are dependent on the substrate tilt angle and the preparation temperature. By using a dip-coating technique, a similar striped texture appears at a fast dipping velocity. From in situ observation of the stripe development, it is seen that the translation of the phase-separating region, accompanying the flow, plays a more important role in the formation of the striped patterns than the flow of the solution itself.     

Striped pattern formation in polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

Composite films of polymer and liquid crystal (LC) have been prepared by a simple solution casting technique. The films obtained exhibit a polymer dispersed liquid crystal structure where LC droplets are dispersed in the polymer matrix. Casting the mixture of polymer solution and LC on a tilted substrate results in a specific texture in which arrays of LC droplets align parallel to each other, i.e. a striped pattern can be formed. The size of the droplets and the spacing between the lines are dependent on the substrate tilt angle and the preparation temperature. By using a dip-coating technique, a similar striped texture appears at a fast dipping velocity. From in situ observation of the stripe development, it is seen that the translation of the phase-separating region, accompanying the flow, plays a more important role in the formation of the striped patterns than the flow of the solution itself.     

Dielectric relaxation in polymer dispersed nematic liquid crystal films

Dielectric absorption studies for polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) samples of different nematic (4-hexyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl, 6CB) contents (20, 30, and 40 wt%) have been carried out in the frequency range from 10kHz to 10MHz. A method for evaluation of the fraction of the molecules which are not affected by the polymer surface anchoring forces in the nematic droplets is proposed.     

Optical properties of stretched polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

The basic mechanisms determining the formation of optical anisotropy in stretched, thin polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films with micron sized nematic droplets have been studied experimentally and the results analysed in terms of a proposed theoretical model. The experiments were performed on PDLC films with the bipolar nematic director configuration in the droplets, where the film transmittance, microscopic structure, and birefringence of the polymer matrix were studied. It is shown that the orientational ordering of bipolar nematic droplets, introducing the main contribution to the ability of stretched PDLC film to polarize the transmitted light, is strongly dependent upon initial droplet shape and the elastic properties of the polymer matrix. The 'anomalous' nematic director orientation is also observed in a portion of elongated droplets where the axes of bipolar configurations do not coincide with the major axes of the droplet cavities due to the presence of inclusions at the cavity walls. The effect of alternation of droplet size and shape upon stretching and the influence of optical anisotropy of the polymer matrix on film transmittance are analysed. On the basis of the results obtained, simple criteria for optimization of main PDLC polarizer performance are formulated.     

Reverse-mode polymer dispersed liquid crystal films prepared by patterned polymer walls

This article proposes a methodology to prepare polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films working in the reverse-mode operation, where the ion-doped nematic liquid crystals (NLCs) with negative dielectric anisotropy (Δε) were locked by polymer walls. On-state and off-state of films were controlled by an electric field. In the absence of an electric field, it appears to be transparent. In the field, the homogeneous alignment NLCs form dynamic scattering, giving rise to opaque. The effect of the cylindrical holes with different diameters of photo masks and liquid crystal Δε on the electro-optical properties and transmittance wavelength range of 400–3000 nm light of samples were investigated. It was found that it exhibited very good electro-optical characteristics, high contrast ratio and excellent infrared energy-efficient of films used as switchable windows.     

Thermo-mechanical and electro-optical properties of polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

We have observed a strong dependence of the electro-optical properties of polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films on temperature. One plausible explanation for this dependence is the thermal expansion of the films. We investigated the thermal expansion of various PDLC films using a thermal mechanical analyser (TMA). As the temperature increased, the films expanded and their droplet size decreased, and their contrast, response time, and hysteresis changed simultaneously. We observed obvious changes of thermal expansion coefficient of the films. We studied the qualitative relationship between thermo-mechanical properties and electrooptical properties. The thermal expansion of PDLC films could be adjusted by changing the degree of cross-linking of the polymer.     

Highly transparent memory states in polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

Abstract

Electro-optical properties of polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films which have reversed morphology are investigated. Highly transparent memory states, for which transmittances exceed more than 80 per cent, are observed in these PDLC films. The saturation voltage V ₉₀ can be decreased by a PTF (a phase transition with a field) operation and becomes 10 times lower than that without PTF operation. A contrast ratio of more than 600 is obtained in the memory state of a thick PDLC film.     

Highly transparent memory states in polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

Electro-optical properties of polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films which have reversed morphology are investigated. Highly transparent memory states, for which transmittances exceed more than 80 per cent, are observed in these PDLC films. The saturation voltage V₉₀ can be decreased by a PTF (a phase transition with a field) operation and becomes 10 times lower than that without PTF operation. A contrast ratio of more than 600 is obtained in the memory state of a thick PDLC film.     

Electro-optical effects of anchoring transition in polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

Two groups of polymer dispersed liquid crystal films have been studied, one with a fixed cell thickness but varying liquid crystal (LC) concentrations and the other with a fixed LC concentration but varying cell thicknesses. A sudden decrease in transmittance with increasing temperature was observed for films whose LC domain sizes were comparable to their cell thicknesses. In particular, spontaneous alignment of LC directors was observed below ∼20°C when LC domains were formed spanning the space between upper and lower indium tin oxide-coated glass substrates. With increasing temperature, this axially aligned homeotropic configuration changed gradually into homogeneous configurations. We believe that the sudden decrease in transmittance originated from the anchoring transition at the glass substrates and polymer walls. In addition, it has been found that the intensity of ultra violet irradiation has a strong effect on the director configuration of LC domains, and that the cure temperature affects the anchoring transition temperature significantly.     

Temperature dependence of electro-optical characteristics of polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

Polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films consist of microdroplets of a liquid crystal dispersed in a polymer matrix. Their applications are based on the electrically controllable light scattering properties of the liquid crystal droplets. The effects of temperature on the electro-optical properties of PDLC films have been rarely investigated. In this work, we studied the light transmission on varying the temperature and frequency. It was observed that the transmission at a fixed voltage decreased with increasing temperature above 43°C, independent of frequency. We examined possible origins of this unusual dependence of the transmission on the temperature. It was concluded that conductivity effects due to free ions newly created at high temperatures could be responsible for the unusual behaviour observed.     

Temperature dependence of electro-optical characteristics of polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

Polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films consist of microdroplets of a liquid crystal dispersed in a polymer matrix. Their applications are based on the electrically controllable light scattering properties of the liquid crystal droplets. The effects of temperature on the electro-optical properties of PDLC films have been rarely investigated. In this work, we studied the light transmission on varying the temperature and frequency. It was observed that the transmission at a fixed voltage decreased with increasing temperature above 43°C, independent of frequency. We examined possible origins of this unusual dependence of the transmission on the temperature. It was concluded that conductivity effects due to free ions newly created at high temperatures could be responsible for the unusual behaviour observed.     

Rough surfaces for orientation control in reverse mode polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

Reverse mode operation shutters have been achieved with polymer dispersed liquid crystals by means of polymerization-induced phase separation of nematic mixtures consisting of a low molecular mass liquid crystal and a liquid crystalline monomer. Fluid mixtures were homeotropically aligned by rough surfaces and transparent films were obtained after polymerization. Transmittance in the OFF state can be larger than 80% and decreases to less than 1% when an electric field of about 2 V μm^-1 at 1 kHz is applied (ON state). Both rise and decay times can be lower than 10 ms and the drop in the OFF state normal transmittance is drastically reduced with respect to conventional polymer dispersed liquid crystals since samples exhibit a reverse morphology. The role played by surface roughness is also discussed.     

Effects of the fluorinated liquid crystal molecules on the electro-optical properties of polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

The different fluorinated liquid crystal (LC) molecules doped to E8 were used as LC component to prepare polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films. The mass fraction of the LC mixture is fixed 50.0 wt%. Results indicate that doping 8.0 wt% fluorinated LC molecule ME3CP to E8 significantly reduced the driving voltage of the PDLC films, and the driving voltage reduced with the rise of mass fraction of ME3CP. Besides, the terminal flexible chain length of the fluorinated LC molecule influenced the LC mixture properties based on E8, such as the dielectric anisotropy, birefringence and viscosity of the LC mixture, and the morphology and the electro-optical properties of PDLC films were controlled not only by the physical properties of the LC mixture, but also by the terminal flexible chain length of the fluorinated LC molecule .     

固化条件对聚合物分散液晶膜电光性能的影响

选用聚乙二醇二缩水甘油醚(EGDE)/季戊四醇缩水甘油醚(PERTGE)/1,8-二氨基-3,6-二氧杂辛烷(EDBEA)/向列相液晶(SLC1717)复合体系,在不同的固化条件下,通过热聚合诱导相分离方法制备了一系列电光性能不同的聚合物分散液晶(polymer dispersed liquid crystal,简称PDLC)膜.研究了固化温度和固化时间对制备的PDLC膜中聚合物网络的微观形貌和电光性能的影响.结果表明,随着固化温度的升高以及固化时间的缩短,PDLC膜的对比度、驱动电压和开态响应时间逐渐增大,而关态响应时间逐渐减小.在固化温度为363.2 K,固化时间为7 h时,所制备的PDLC膜具有较佳的电光性能.