Use Of Liquid Crystals Research Articles

Janus Device Based on Liquid Crystal Regulation with a Large Incidence Angle: Analogous Quantum Optical Effect and Absorption

AbstractIn this paper, a Janus metastructure device (JMD) is proposed. The JMD design introduces asymmetric structures, which leads to the generation of analogous quantum optical effects when light is incident at large angles. Specifically, forward electromagnetic‐induced transparency (EIT) and backward narrowband absorption (NA) are achieved when light is incident along different directions, displaying Janus characteristics in the forward and backward directions. Additionally, the operating frequency of JMD can be controlled through the use of liquid crystal. Such features hold promising potential for various applications in photonic and optoelectronic fields. When the axial direction of the liquid crystal is oriented along the x‐direction, the JMD achieves a transparent window over 90% within 0.46–0.51 THz at forward incidence, and an absorption peak of 84.1% appears at 0.331 THz at backward incidence. When the axial direction is oriented along the y‐direction, the JMD achieves EIT in the range of 0.51–0.575 THz at forward incidence, and a backward absorption peak of 93.3% occurs at 0.305 THz. In addition, the performance changes at different polarization and incidence angles are presented. The mechanism of absorption generation, the method of suppressing excess absorption, and the parametric inversion of the electromagnetic characteristics of JMD are also discussed.

SYNTHESIS, PROPERTIES, AND APPLICATIONS OF SUPRAMOLECULAR LIQUID CRYSTAL MATERIALS AND ACRYLAMIDE PORPHYRIN POLYMERS

A review of the work in the field of design, study of properties, and application of liquid crystal materials and acrylamide porphyrin polymers, performed at the Department of Chemistry and Technology of High-molecular Compounds, in the laboratory of Supramolecular and liquid crystal systems and in the laboratory of Polymer materials of the Research Institute of Macroheterocyclic compounds of the Ivanovo State University of Chemical Technology over the past 10 years, is presented. Synthetic methods were developed, mesogenic compounds and mixed liquid crystal compositions based on classical and supramolecular mesogens doped with additives containing polar, amphiprotic and chiral groups were obtained and studied. The mechanisms of chiral transport in the mesophase were studied. The results on the use of liquid crystals as light and heat stabilizers of polymeric materials are presented. Stationary phases for gas-liquid chromatography based on supramolecular mesogens, macroheterocyclic compounds with high structural selectivity with respect to various isomers were developed. Methods have been developed for the synthesis of water-soluble porphyrin polymers and porphyrin-containing hydrogels based on acrylamide and synthetic porphyrin monomers, realizable both under thermal heating and under microwave radiation. It is shown that a change in the ratio and nature of the components, as well as the polymerization conditions in the synthesis of porphyrin polymers provides targeted control of the properties of the resulting compounds. The molecular-mass and spectral characteristics of the obtained polymers, their surface morphology and sorption properties of porphyrin-containing acrylamide hydrogels are investigated. For citation: Burmistrov V.A., Aleksandriiskii V.V., Novikov I.V., Pechnikova N.L., Shilov I.V., Lyubimtsev A.V., Ageeva T.A., Koifman O.I. Synthesis, properties, and applications of supramolecular liquid crystal materials and acrylamide porphyrin polymers. ChemChemTech [Izv. Vyssh. Uchebn. Zaved. Khim. Khim. Tekhnol.]. 2023. V. 66. N 7. P. 31-51. DOI: 10.6060/ivkkt.20236607. 6832j.

Negative Dielectric Anisotropy Liquid Crystal with Improved Photo-Stability, Anti-Flicker, and Transmittance for 8K Display Applications.

Video systems such as 8K displays can provide a strong sense of presence and reality due to their extremely high resolution and wide field of view. However, high-resolution displays generally suffer from reduced transmittance, which requires the use of liquid crystals with high transmittance and high stability. In this study, negative dielectric anisotropy liquid crystal compositions with excellent photo-stability, anti-flicker capability, and high transmittance are developed, showing potential for 8K display applications. The stability of different types of negative dielectric anisotropy liquid crystal compounds is assessed under light, and the high photo-stability compounds are obtained. In addition, it is demonstrated that the flicker can be optimized from -17.6 to -47.0 by removing the compounds with a higher ion content and a larger deformation number and adding the compounds with a smaller deformation number in the negative dielectric anisotropy liquid crystal compositions. Combining with the evaluation of the factors affecting the response time, the negative dielectric anisotropy liquid crystal mixed H is designed with improved stability and flicker; thus, the response time was decreased to 9.5 ms, and the optical transmittance was 5.5% higher than that of MAT-09-1284 (for normal) and 3.1% higher than that of BY19-J01A (for 4K).

Development of LCEs with 100% Azobenzene Moieties: Thermo-Mechanical Phenomena and Behaviors.

Azobenzene is one of the most investigated photo-responsive liquid crystalline molecules. It can isomerize between two different isoforms, trans (E) and cis (Z) configurations, when stimulated by light. It is used as a molecular engine in photo-mobile materials (PMPs). The use of liquid crystals (LCs) as building blocks enhances the mechanical properties of the PMPs. It is not easy to obtain PMPs with monodomain configurations when the LCs are 100% azobenzene. In this work, we studied three LC mixtures, describing the thermo/mechanical phenomena that regulate the actuation of such materials. The nematic temperature of the LC elastomers was measured and the PMPs carefully characterized for their bending and speed capability. Our finding suggests that the ratio between linear and cross-linker monomer greatly influences the nematic temperature of the mixture. Furthermore, 100% azobenzene materials polymerized using dicumyl peroxide can be useful to design polarization-selective switches.

Dielectric and electrical properties of nematic liquid crystals 6CB doped with iron oxide nanoparticles. The combined effect of nanodopant concentration and cell thickness

Dispersing nanomaterials in liquid crystals has emerged as a very promising non-synthetic way to produce advanced multifunctional and tunable materials. As a rule, dielectric and electrical characterization of such materials is performed using cells of single thickness. As a result, the published reports vary even for similar systems. Confusion still exists as to the effects of nanodopants and cell thickness on the dielectric and electrical properties of liquid crystals. This factor hinders a widespread use of liquid crystals - nanoparticles systems in modern tech products. In this paper, we report systematic experimental studies of the combined effect of the cell thickness and iron oxide nanoparticle concentration on the electrical and dielectric properties of nematic liquid crystals 6CB. The measured dielectric spectra can be divided into three distinct regions corresponding to a low frequency (<10 Hz) dispersion, dispersion free range (102 – 104 Hz (electrical conductivity) and 102 – 105 (dielectric permittivity)), and high frequency dispersion (104 – 106 Hz (electrical conductivity) and 105-106 Hz (dielectric permittivity)). The real part of the dielectric permittivity is not affected by the cell thickness and its value can be tuned by changing the concentration of nanoparticles. At the same time, the electrical conductivity depends on both cell thickness and nanoparticle concentration. At intermediate frequencies (102 – 104 Hz) the electrical conductivity obeys the Jonscher power law and is dependent on the cell thickness because of ion-releasing and ion-capturing effects caused by nanoparticles and substrates of the cell. In addition, its value is affected by the electronic conductivity due to iron oxide nanoparticles and their nanoclusters. At higher frequencies (104 – 106 Hz) the electrical conductivity follows a super linear power law and is nearly independent of the cell thickness and nanoparticle concentration.

A cholesterol benzoate RRS probe for the determination of trace ammonium ions

The measurement of NH4+ has attracted considerable attention with the increase of NH4+ emissions in sewage caused by human activities. So far, a variety of photometric and fluorescence methods for the detection of NH4+ have been researched and summarized, but there is no report about the use of liquid crystals (LCs) cholesteryl benzoate (CB) as a resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) probe to determine ammonium ions. In the NaAc-HAc buffer solution with pH = 4.80, the yellow compounds 3,5 diacetyl-1,4 dihydrolutidine (DDL) generated by the reaction of NH4+ with acetylacetone (AT) and formaldehyde (HCHO) act as the energy receiver and CB as the donor. Because the RRS spectrum of CB overlaps with the DDL absorption spectrum, resonance Rayleigh scattering energy transfer (RRS-ET) occurs. When the NH4+ concentration increased, the generated DDL increased, and the RRS-ET also increased, so the RRS intensity of the system at 395 nm decreased. For this reason, a fast and sensitive CB RRS-ET method was established to apply to the detection of NH4+ in water. The detection range was 1.00 × 10−3 − 4.66 μg/mL, and the detection limit was 6.62 × 10−3 μg/mL. Using this method to analyze and detect NH4+ in environmental water samples, the precision and recovery rate were between 1.30–9.30% and 95.5–109.9%, respectively. Therefore, this method has the advantages of sensitivity and simplicity.

Advanced Functional Luminescent Metallomesogens: The Key Role of the Metal Center.

The use of liquid crystals for the fabrication of displays incorporated in technological devices (TVs, calculators, screens of eBook's, tablets, watches) demonstrates the relevance that these materials have had in our way of living. However, society evolves, and improved devices are looked for as we create a more efficient and safe technology. In this context, metallomesogens can behave as multifunctional materials because they can combine the fluidic state of the mesophases with properties such as photo and electroluminescence, which offers new exciting possibilities in the field of optoelectronics, energy, environment, and even biomedicine. Herein, it has been established the role of the molecular geometry induced by the metal center in metallomesogens to achieve the self-assembly required in the liquid-crystalline mesophase. Likewise, the effect of the coordination environment in metallomesogens has been further analyzed because of its importance to induce mesomorphism. The structural analysis has been combined with an in-depth discussion of the properties of these materials, including their current and potential future applications. This review will provide a solid background to stimulate the development of novel and attractive metallomesogens that allow designing improved optoelectronic and microelectronic components. Additionally, nanoscience and nanotechnology could be used as a tool to approach the design of nanosystems based on luminescent metallomesogens for use in bioimaging or drug delivery.

Electro-Optical and Photo Stabilization Study of Nematic Ternary Mixture.

Liquid crystal materials composed of mixed nematic compounds find broad use in liquid crystal displays and photonic applications. A ternary mixture formed from three different nematic compounds shows peculiar behavior such as tunable electro-optical properties dependent on the frequency of the driving voltage. The paper presents an analysis of the response time and phase retardation of a frequency tunable nematic liquid crystal mixture (under code name 5005). This material possesses high birefringence (Δn = 0.32 at 633 nm) as well as high dielectric anisotropy (Δε = 6.3 at 100 Hz). The unique property of the 5005 mixture is frequency-controlled phase modulation, as in a dual frequency liquid crystal, while dielectric anisotropy goes to zero instead of being negative at high frequencies. For each component of the mixture, details on mesomorphic properties and their role in the formulation of the mixture are reported. The 5005 mixture was characterized by multiple investigation techniques, such as temperature dependence dielectric anisotropy, transmittance measurements image polarizing microscopy, and UV stability.

Liquid Crystal Devices for Beam Steering Applications.

Liquid crystals are valuable materials for applications in beam steering devices. In this paper, an overview of the use of liquid crystals in the field of adaptive optics specifically for beam steering and lensing devices is presented. The paper introduces the properties of liquid crystals that have made them useful in this field followed by a more detailed discussion of specific liquid crystal devices that act as switchable optical components of refractive and diffractive types. The relative advantages and disadvantages of the different devices and techniques are summarised.

Research on Competitive Enzymatic Hydrolysis-Assisted Liquid Crystal-based Acetylcholine Sensor

1. 报道了一种基于液晶的简单、低成本、无标记的检测乙酰胆碱的方法。 2. 氯化十四酰胆碱与乙酰胆碱发生竞争性的酶解反应，引起液晶分子在界面上的排列方式及液晶的光学形貌发生了改变。 3. 乙酰胆碱的检测限低至14.5 nmol/L。 4. 基于液晶实现了对乙酰胆碱高灵敏度、高特异性的检测。 A simple, convenient and label-free approach was developed for detection of acetylcholine (ACh) based on competitive enzymatic hydrolysis by use of liquid crystals (LCs) as a sensing medium. Self-assembled monolayers of myristoylcholine (Myr) were obtained at the aqueous/LC interface when the surfactants were in contact with LCs, resulting in a perpendicular orientation of LCs at the interface. Thus, LCs displayed a dark optical image. However, enzymatic hydrolysis of Myr by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) disturbed the Myr monolayers, which led to a horizontal orientation of LCs at the interface, thereby inducing a dark-to-bright shift of the LCs optical appearance. Interestingly, as ACh was also a substrate of AChE, the bright appearance of LCs was prevented when incubating the mixture of AChE and ACh with Myr decorated aqueous/LC interface due to the competitive enzymatic hydrolysis between Myr and ACh by AChE. By using this strategy, ACh could be detected selectively and sensitively, with a broad linear range from 0.01 μmol/L to 1 mmol/L and a low detection limit of 14.5 nmol/L. The results showed that the competitive enzymatic hydrolysis-assisted LC-based sensor had potential applications in ACh detection. A simple, low-cost and label-free assay was reported for detection of acetylcholine (ACh) based on liquid crystals (LCs). Variations in the arrangement and optical appearance of LCs are due to the competitive enzymatic hydrolysis between myristoylcholine (Myr) and ACh by acetylcholinesterase (AChE). By using this strategy, highly sensitive and highly specific detection of ACh is achieved.

Fast response polymer stabilized blue phase by overdrive technique

A method that exploits an overdrive technique is demonstrated to realize fast rise times in devices using the polymer-stabilized blue phase (PSBP). The results indicated that the rise time of such devices can be improved dramatically by increasing the overdrive voltage because the double cylinder structure of PSBP in the device undergoes a strong torque from this voltage. However, a stable transmittance was not obtained when the overdrive voltage was applied for durations exceeding the time required to reach maximum transmittance. By optimizing the overdrive waveform, the rise time of the PSBP device was 80 μs, which was nine times faster than that with a pulse waveform. This result is expected to find use in liquid crystal display applications and phase shifter applications in which high responses are wanted.

Liquid crystal tunable claddings for polymer integrated optical waveguides.

Optical waveguides in photonic integrated circuits are traditionally passive elements merely carrying optical signals from one point to another. These elements could contribute to the integrated circuit functionality if they were modulated either by variations of the core optical properties, or by using tunable claddings. In this work, the use of liquid crystals as electro-optically active claddings for driving integrated waveguides has been explored. Tunable waveguides have been modeled and fabricated using polymers. Optical functions such as variable coupling and optical switching have been demonstrated.

Application of the flexoelectric effect in liquid crystals to create acousto-optic transducers

The flexoelectric effect in nematic liquid crystals was studied using acoustic modulation spectroscopy. A cell consisting of three plates separated by spacers was used. The movable plate made shear oscillations in the plane of the cell. We studied thin layers of liquid crystals with homeotropic orientation of molecules with a thickness of from 20 to 100 microns. The frequency of exposure is 1 kHz. In the framework of the de Gennes model, near the phase transition liquid crystal - isotropic phase, the resulting signal has a flexoelectric nature and is due to a dipole mechanism. In this work, the temperature dependences of the flexosignal, the temperature effect on the value of the average constant angle of inclination (θc) and the amplitude of the oscillations of the director (θd) of a liquid crystal are investigated. The dependences of flex coefficients e33 on temperature are obtained. It was found that dipole and quadrupole mechanisms contribute to the observed molecular orientational polarization. The results of this study are proposed to be used to create liquid crystal transparencies of the new generation, as well as acousto-optic transducers for automated vibration control systems, since the use of liquid crystals provides a number of advantages (lightweight construction, low power consumption and overall dimensions, low cost).

Influence of pressure and temperature on the parameters of liquid-crystalline working fluids of technical devices

The promising use of liquid crystals for the development of technical devices is substantiated. The acoustic method is used to study the dependence of parameters of liquid crystals on the pressure and temperature, which characterize the operating speed of electronic devices with a liquid-crystalline working fluid. We studied the relaxation properties of mixtures of nematic liquid crystals LC-440 and N-96. Within the framework of the molecular statistical theories of the nematic phase, the dependence of the coefficient of rotational viscosity on temperature and pressure is analyzed. The influence of the structure of molecules and molecular complexes of nematic liquid crystals on the dependence of the coefficient of rotational viscosity on external conditions is established. The results of original studies of the dependence of the coefficient of rotational viscosity on pressure and temperature at a constant volume are presented.

Detection of Biomarkers in Blood Using Liquid Crystals Assisted with Aptamer-Target Recognition Triggered in Situ Rolling Circle Amplification on Magnetic Beads.

Detection of biomarkers in body fluids is critical to both diagnosing the life-threatening diseases and optimizing therapeutic interventions. We herein report use of liquid crystals (LCs) to detect biomarkers in blood with high sensitivity and specificity by employing in situ rolling circle amplification (RCA) on magnetic beads (MBs). Specific recognition of cancer biomarkers, such as platelet derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) and adenosine, by aptamers leads to formation of a nucleic acid circle on MBs preassembled with ligation DNA, linear padlock DNA, and aptamers, thereby triggering in situ RCA. LCs change from dark to bright appearance after the in situ RCA products being transferred onto the LC interface decorated with octadecy trimethylammonium bromide (OTAB), which is particularly sensitive to the amplified DNA on MBs. Overall, this label-free approach takes advantages of high specificity of aptamer-based assay, efficient enrichment of signaling molecules on MBs, remarkable DNA elongation performance of the RCA reaction, and high sensitivity of LC-based assay. It successfully eliminates the matrix interference on the LC-based sensors and thus achieves at least 4 orders of magnitude improvement in sensitivity for detection of biomarkers compared to other LC-based sensors. In addition, performance of the developed sensor is comparable to that of the commercial ones. Thus, this study provides a simple, powerful, and promising approach to facilitate highly sensitive, specific, and label-free detection of biomarkers in body fluids.

Recent Advances in Adaptive Liquid Crystal Lenses

An adaptive-focus lens is a device that is capable of tuning its focal length by means of an external stimulus. Numerous techniques for the demonstration of such devices have been reported thus far. Moving beyond traditional solutions, several new approaches have been proposed in recent years based on the use of liquid crystals, which can have a great impact in emerging applications. This work focuses on the recent advances in liquid crystal lenses with diameters larger than 1 mm. Recent demonstrations and their performance characteristics are reviewed, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the reported technologies and identifying the challenges and future prospects in the active research field of adaptive-focus liquid crystal (LC) lenses.

Interface design for high energy density polymer nanocomposites.

This review provides a detailed overview on the latest developments in the design and control of the interface in polymer based composite dielectrics for energy storage applications. The methods employed for interface design in composite systems are described for a variety of filler types and morphologies, along with novel approaches employed to build hierarchical interfaces for multi-scale control of properties. Efforts to achieve a close control of interfacial properties and geometry are then described, which includes the creation of either flexible or rigid polymer interfaces, the use of liquid crystals and developing ceramic and carbon-based interfaces with tailored electrical properties. The impact of the variety of interface structures on composite polarization and energy storage capability are described, along with an overview of existing models to understand the polarization mechanisms and quantitatively assess the potential benefits of different structures for energy storage. The applications and properties of such interface-controlled materials are then explored, along with an overview of existing challenges and practical limitations. Finally, a summary and future perspectives are provided to highlight future directions of research in this growing and important area.

Nano pattern transfer on acrylic polymers with UV irradiation for liquid crystal alignment

Ultra-violet nanoimprint lithography was utilized to transfer a one-dimensional nano pattern onto a hydrophilic ultra-violet cured polymer surface for use in liquid crystal displays. A master mold with the one-dimensional nano pattern was initially constructed using laser interference lithography, which is a fast and maskless process that can be employed over a large area. The UV cured polymer showed a hydrophilic characteristic, and was used as a homogeneous alignment layer. The nano-patterned ultra-violet polymer successfully aligned the liquid crystal molecules without defects. Additionally, the liquid crystal cell was characterized by high thermal stability due to the high thermal endurance of UV cured polymer. Therefore, the proposed ultra-violet nanoimprint lithography technique is beneficial for advanced liquid crystal devices with high brightness and resolution with numerous switching components that require a high thermal cost.

Thermokinetic study of CODA azoic liquid crystal and thin films deposition by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation

Azoic dyes are compounds of interest from the point of view of their potential applications, such as the use of liquid crystals in optoelectronic and organic electroluminescent devices, or may be employed as template matrices for producing high-aspect ratio inorganic nanomaterials. Herein, 4-[(4-chlorobenzyl)oxy]-3,4′-dichloroazobenzene azoic dye, known as CODA, is selected as a choice compound among such materials due to its liquid crystalline properties and may be further used as nanostructured material in various applications. Thermokinetic study of CODA azoic dye thermal decomposition in air flow atmosphere was performed by employing thermogravimetric data; the kinetic parameters of the two decomposition steps were obtained under non-isothermal linear regimes, by means of multi-heating rates methods. Differential and integral “model-free” kinetic methods like Friedmann, Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose and Ortega, the invariant kinetic parameters method and the Perez-Maqueda et al. criterion (by Coats–Redfern and differential equations) were used. The kinetic study reveals very different behaviour related to the two decomposition steps of CODA, with complex processes composed of more than one kinetic mechanism for each of those, as indicated also by the Gotor et al. master plot method. Modern devices incorporating such materials tend to use them as thin films due to their specific properties; the CODA thin films were deposited on silicon substrates by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation technique, using a Nd:YAG laser working at the wavelength of 266 nm. The preservation of the CODA compound after the transfer on the substrates was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, while the morphology and topography of the deposited materials and of the thin film surfaces were investigated by atomic force microscopy and optical microscopy.

Determination of polarity parameters for liquid crystals using solvatochromic method in anisotropic and isotropic phases

ABSTRACTThe use of liquid crystals (LCs) as anisotropic solvents is desired for various potential applications and usually for other organic and inorganic compounds. In this work, solvent polarity parameters are obtained using a spectroscopic method for four LCs with a range of high and low dielectric anisotropy (∆ε). Solvatochromic polarity parameters for these LCs were defined via Kamlet–Abboud–Taft polarity functions characterizing different temperatures and phases, isotropic and anisotropic, and using the Reichardt’s dye and 2,6-diphenyl-4-(2,4,6-triphenyl-1-pyridinio) phenolate standard probe. The investigated polarity parameters reveal the effects of LC media on the photo-physical behaviour of solute molecules in isotropic and anisotropic media. Subsequently, a new LC polarity parameter (Zo) is introduced as an overall matrix anisotropy polarity parameter to characterize variation between isotropic and anisotropic phases. The values of Zo are sorted from higher to lower dielectric anisotropies (∆ε).