Effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on dielectric and electro-optic properties of a high tilt antiferroelectric liquid crystal |
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Authors: | Kartick Ch Dey |
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Institution: | Department of Physics, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy Government College, Siliguri, India |
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Abstract: | By dispersing a small amount of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in a high tilt antiferroelectric liquid crystal, a nano composite is prepared. Though the phase sequence remains the same, the transition temperatures of the composite get changed, the stability of SmA* and SmC* phases increases whereas that of SmCA* phase decreases. Pitch of the helicoidal structure shows a discontinuous change at SmC*–SmCA* transition. Absorption strength and critical frequency of the anti-phase antiferroelectric mode are reduced in the composite. The dielectric increment of the Goldstone mode (GM) decreases and the critical frequency increases due to increased elasticity of the composite. A two-fold increase in the critical field for suppression of the GM is observed which signifies more stable helical structure in the composite. The switching time is reduced by 56% in the nano composite as a result of decrease in rotational viscosity but the high tilt remains intact. An observed lower value of conductivity indicates ion trapping in the composite. |
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Keywords: | Antiferroelectric liquid crystal (AFLC) multi-walled carbon nano tube (MWCNT) nano composite critical frequency switching time |
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