New Chiral Monomers for Polymer Stabilized Cholesteric Textures

Abstract

New mesomorphic chiral acrylates were synthesized. Their additions to a nematic liquid crystalline mixture cause the director of the nematogens molecules to adopt a helically twisted orientation. The pitch of the resulting helicoidal structure is determined by the concentration of the chiral dopant. Mesomorphic properties and actual pitches of several mixtures of these chiral dopants with nematic or cholesteric liquid crystalline solvents were studied. Photochemical polymerizations of these mixtures were performed in thin films which resulted in cross-linked polymer networks with a twisted superstructure. The use of such specific chiral additives in polymer stabilized cholesteric texture material resulted in white reflective displays. The electro-optical properties of such devices were investigated.