The effect of bi-component acrylate prepolymers on the phase separation and electro-optical properties of pixel-isolated liquid crystals

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a pixel isolated liquid crystal (PILC) display using prepolymers containing bi-component acrylate monomers. The phase separation behavior and polymer wall structure of PILC were closely related to the solubility parameter and surface free energy of acrylate monomers. The polymer wall structure of bi-component prepolymers was readily controlled by the composition of acrylate monomers. We also investigated the electro-optical performances of PILC devices prepared by using bi-component prepolymers and found that they were related with the surface anchoring effect of polymer walls. Anchoring energy between LC and polymer walls was decreased by introducing fluorinated acrylate monomer into prepolymers and the driving properties of LC molecules by an external electric field were improved. Thus, the control method of polymer wall structure by using bi-component prepolymers can be applied to various types of LC–polymer composite systems for obtaining improved flexible displays.