Advanced Materials, Vol.17, No.6, 692-692, 2005
Bistable nematic liquid crystals with self-assembled fibers
Memorization of the alignment of nematic liquid crystals in electric fields is achieved by incorporating small amounts of self-assembled fibers into the liquid crystals. Hydrogen-bonded fibers formed in electrically aligned nematic phases direct liquid-crystal alignment after removal of the electric fields (see Figure and cover). Rewritable bistable nematics of light-scattering and transparent states have been achieved by a combination of thermal and electric stimuli.