Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, Vol.39, No.5, 507-514, 2001
TSC study and electro-optical properties of epoxy/acrylic polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal film in DICY thermal cure
We report on the structures and electro-optical properties of epoxy/acrylic polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal (PDLC) films. A thermal stimulated current (TSC) analysis was used to investigate the physical structures of PDLC. In the TSC spectrum of PDLC, three relaxation peaks were observed: the glass transition of the liquid crystal, the glass transition of the polymer matrix, and the rho transition. The rho transition represents the discharge behavior of space charges, and its intensity increased as the curing time and content of the curing agent dicyandiamide (DICY) increased. The pre-W-cured films with different DICY contents were thermally cured at 130 degreesC for various periods. The electro-optical properties of PDLC, such as the contrast ratio and switching voltage, increased as the curing time of DICY, the content of DICY, or both increased. As the ambient temperature increased from 10 to 40 degreesC, the contrast ratio and switching voltage of PDLC gradually decreased. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Keywords:polymer-dispersed liquid crystal;epoxy;acrylic;thermal stimulated current;electro-optical properties