Study of the electrocaloric effect in ferroelectric liquid crystals

ABSTRACT

Electrocaloric effect (ECE) in two ferroelectric liquid crystalline (FLC) materials has been evaluated by mean of two indirect characterization methods: the photopyroelectric (PPE) technique and the polarization current reversal one. The obtained results show a good correspondence of the adiabatic temperature change associated with the ECE evaluated from both methods. This validates the possibility to use the PPE technique to investigate the ECE in FLCs. This study also demonstrates that FLCs can be used as electrocaloric material. More particularly, it shows that as for their solid homologous, liquid crystals displays more pronounced ECE in the vicinity of a first order transition than that measured near to second-order one.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Liquid crystal
• electrocaloric effect
• photopyroelectric
• phase transition

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Pôle Metropolitain de la Côte d’Opale and Universite du Littoral Côte d’Opale for the support of this work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.