Studies on the electro-optical and the light-scattering properties of PDLC films with the size gradient of the LC droplets

Abstract

Polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films with the size gradient of the LC droplets were prepared based on the epoxy/acrylate hybrid polymer matrix. The ultraviolet (UV) intensity gradient was induced by the UV-absorbing dye over the thickness of the samples. Taking advantage of the difference between the epoxy monomers and acrylate monomers in polymerisation rates and the UV intensity gradient, the gradient distribution of the LC droplet size was formed in PDLC films. The effect of the size gradient of the LC droplets on the electro-optical and the light-scattering properties of PDLC films was investigated. The results showed that due to the size gradient distribution of the LC droplets, PDLC films could exhibit the strong light scattering in the UV-visible-near infrared (VIS-NIR) region. Consequently, it provides a potential approach for modulating NIR light transmittance.

Keywords:

• polymer dispersed liquid crystal
• epoxy monomers
• acrylate monomers
• the size gradient
• light-scattering property

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Sino-American Cooperative Project of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology under Grant [2013DFB50340], the Major Project of Beijing Science & Technology Program under Grant [Z121100006512002], the Major Program of Chinese Ministry of Education under Grant [313002], the Doctoral Fund of Chinese Ministry of Education under Grant [20120001130005], National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant [51402006], China Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project under Grant [2013M540017] and the Project of Guiyang Science & Technology Program under Grant [(2012205)6-1].