Enhanced electro-optical properties of a nematic liquid crystals in presence of BaTiO₃nanoparticles

Abstract

Composites of nematic liquid crystals (NLCs) and ferroelectric barium titanate (BaTiO3) nanoparticles (NPs) have been prepared. The alignments of NPs in the host medium have been demonstrated. Effect of NPs doping on various display parameters of NLCs, namely, threshold voltage, dielectric anisotropy and splay elastic constant has been studied using electro-optical and dielectric studies. The nematic ordering of host supports alignment of NPs parallel to the director which consequently improves electro-optical parameters in the composite system. The dielectric and electro-optic properties of LC–NPs composites have been discussed in frame of conventional theories of NLCs.