Article

Abstract

• We have previously reported that the application of a DC field can adjust the position and/or bandwidth of the selective reflection notch in polymer-stabilized cholesteric liquid crystals (PSCLCs). The proposed mechanism of these electro-optic (EO) response is ion-facilitated electromechanical deformation of the polymer stabilizing network. Accordingly, the concentration of ions trapped within the polymer network should considerably influence the EO response of PSCLC. Our prior studies have indicated that photoinitiators can increase ion density in PSCLC by an order of magnitude. Here, we isolate the contribution of ionic impurities associated with liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) by utilizing initiator-less polymerization. PSCLCs prepared with LCM with low ion concentration show bandwidth broadening of the reflection band whereas PSCLCs prepared with LCM with high ion concentration exhibit a red shifting tuning of the reflection band. The extent of the tuning or bandwidth broadening of the CLC reflection band depends on the concentration of LCMs and the chirality of the LCM.

Creator

• Lee, Kyung M
• Godman, Nicholas P
• Bunning, Timothy J
• McConney, Michael E
• White, Timothy J

Date Issued

• 2021

Academic Affiliation

• Chemical and Biological Engineering

Journal Title

• Crystals

Journal Issue/Number

• 1

Journal Volume

• 11

Last Modified

• 2022-06-29

Resource Type

• Article

Rights Statement

• In Copyright

DOI

•  https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst11010007

ISSN

• 2073-4352

Language

• English [eng]

License

• Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 International

Relationships

Items

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Visibility	Actions
	crystals-11-00007.pdf	2022-06-29	Public	Download