Optimization approach for the dilute magnetic polymer-dispersed liquid crystal

Abstract

A method was investigated to improve the capacitance and electro-optical response of the dilute magnetic polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLC). The proposed magnetic separation treatment further decreased the ion concentration of the liquid crystal colloid while preparing the diluted magnetic PDLC. The microstructure of the optimized diluted magnetic PDLC, including the shape, size, and distribution of the LC droplets, has not changed, but the capacitance and the electro-optical response of the PDLC have been further improved. Usually, increasing the concentration of the magnetic nanoparticles may reduce the ion concentration more, but the performance of PDLC has been a disadvantage. Our presented work shows an additional decrease in the ion concentration by doping the relatively high concentration of the magnetic nanoparticles and the magnetic separation treatment. However, the performance of the diluted magnetic PDLC has improved even more.