Effects of Polymer Network Surfaces on Expansion of Cholesteric Blue Phases Temperature

Abstract

We proposed the stabilization of cholesteric blue phases (BPs) by confining liquid crystal (LC) molecules within a small area. The temperature range of the BP was expanded in the LC confined in the polymer network (PN). In particular, the temperature range of BP I in the LC/PN composite is six times wider than that of the pure BP LC compound. Polarizing microscopic observations and field-dependence measurements of the expanded BP have been carried out, which indicate that it is in the metastable state and is induced by the pinning effect on the surfaces of the PN. [DOI: 10.1380/ejssnt.2008.17]