Abstract
Photopolymerization behavior and reaction kinetics for a series of multifunctional acrylate monomer(s) and eutectic liquid crystal blends were investigated with particular emphasis on determination of the reaction rate coefficients for propagation and termination steps of photopolymerization. Reaction rate coefficients were determined via real-time infrared spectroscopy and compared with those obtained by photo-differential scanning calorimetry. Effects of various parameters such as LC concentration, light intensity, and monomer functionality on the kinetics were investigated. Phase transition temperature versus composition phase diagrams were established by means of optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry for mixtures of triacrylate/liquid crystal (LC) before photopolymerization and after exposing to ultra violet (UV) irradiation under various reaction times. The snapshot phase diagram of the reacting mixtures exhibited isotropic gel, isotropic liquid+nematic, and narrow pure nematic coexistence regions. These coexistence regions were further confirmed by morphological changes of the polymer dispersed liquid crystal films as functions of temperature and concentration using polarized optical microscopy.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.