Thermophysical and Electro-Optical Characterization of Nematic Liquid Crystal / Acrylate Systems

Abstract

Abstract New Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC) materials were prepared by a Polymerization Induced Phase Separation (PIPS) mechanism using U.V. radiation. The samples are obtained from the liquid crystalline mixture E7 and a blend of monofunctional (2-Ethyl Hexyl Acrylate) and difunctional (1,6-Hexane Diol DiAcrylate) monomers as precursors of the matrix. The thermodynamic properties of both cured and uncured samples were studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Optical Microscopy. The optical transmission of selected PDLC films has been measured as a function of frequency and amplitude of the applied voltage for several film thicknesses.