Preparation of reverse mode polymer dispersion liquid crystals with vertically oriented layers and the electro-optical properties

Abstract

ABSTRACT The reverse-mode polymer dispersed liquid crystals (re-mode PDLC) are feasible to be prepared by polyimide vertically oriented layers. The indium tin oxide (ITO) glass coated with polyimide-oriented layer was prepared by centrifugal spin coating and high temperature curing, and the re-mode PDLC film was prepared by polymerisation-induced phase separation method. After that the effects of diluent, negative liquid crystal and gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) nanoparticle content on the morphology and electro-optical properties of re-mode PDLC were comprehensively investigated. The results show that the re-mode PDLC with appropriate diluent and negative liquid crystal content has stable contrast ratio and driving voltage, and the re-mode PDLC samples doped with Gd2O3 nanoparticles can further increase the contrast ratio to improve the problem of low contrast of ordinary re-mode PDLC samples. In the thermal ageing life test, the driving voltage ageing degree of the nanoparticle-doped re-mode PDLC samples can be stabilised, which has some significance for use of re-mode PDLC.