Studies on electro-optical properties of polymer dispersed liquid crystal films based on epoxy resins prepared by UV-initiated cationic polymerisation

Abstract

Epoxy polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films based on ethyleneglycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE)/nematic liquid crystal (SLC1717) composites were prepared by ultraviolet-initiated cationic polymerisation using triphenylsulfonium hexafluoroantimonate (Ar3S+SbF6 −) as the photoinitiator. The effect of the composition of the mixture and curing temperature on the microstructure of the polymer network and the electro-optical properties was investigated. It was found that the liquid crystal (LC) domain size of the polymer network could be regulated by adjusting the LC content and the curing temperature. The electro-optical properties of PDLC films could then be optimised.