- Previous Article
- Next Article
- Table of Contents
Macromolecular Rapid Communications, Vol.23, No.3, 159-170, 2002
Electro-optical properties of polymer-dispersed liquid crystals
This paper deals with the electro-optic (EO) properties of polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs). Several systems are considered to analyze the effects of preparation conditions and film characteristics on the EO response functions. Particular emphasis is put on systems based on mixtures of the commercial compound ASX-95, the difunctional acrylate tripropylene diacrylate and the eutectic mixture of low-molecular-weight liquid crystals E7. Other systems are considered to assess the influence of monomer functionality on EO properties using for example the trifunctional glycerylpropoxytriacrylate. Various modes of preparing PDLCs are considered based on the mechanism of polymerization-induced phase separation using either electron-beam (EB) or UV radiation curing processes. The dose is changed in both techniques to improve film strength and determine which method leads to the best samples in terms of EO response functions. Other important parameters, such as film thickness, composition and applied voltage, are also considered to evaluate the impact on those functions. The article focuses on a comparison of EO performances of films elaborated by exposure to EB and UV radiations. Under similar conditions, one definitvely finds a net superiority of the former technique. In addition this technique does not require any photoinitiator and leads to a higher conversion of the monomeric compounds, i.e. higher mechanical strength and less severe aging conditions.