Aluminum nanowires and gold nanoparticles – driven stabilization of blue phase liquid crystals

ABSTRACT

Blue phases (BPs) in chiral nematic liquid crystals (LC) remained a field of ample research interest due to their exotic optical properties. In the present work, we report the doping effect of dimensionality varying NPs (alumina nanowires [ANWs] and citrate buffer stabilized gold nanoparticles [GNPs]) on the phase transition temperatures and stability of the BP temperature range using polarizing optical microscopy. An increase in the BP thermal stability after the dispersion of NP is observed than an undoped sample. Doping of GNPs and ANWs could expand the BP temperature range of ∼8.0°C and ∼4.5°C respectively at an optimum concentration of dopants. A decrease in BP temperature range is noticed beyond a critical concentration of doped NPs. A platelet type texture, which corresponds to BP-I/BP-II is clearly seen.

KEYWORDS:

• Blue phases
• liquid crystals
• nanowires
• gold nanoparticles
• double twist cylinder

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by SERB and DSTI [Grant Number EMR/2016/003540].