The effects of silica nanoparticles on blue-phase liquid crystals

ABSTRACT

We investigate the effects of hydrophobic silica nanoparticles (SNs) on blue-phase liquid crystals (BPLCs). The optical microscope and reflection spectra observation reveal that a tiny hydrophobic SN dopant stabilises the BPLC phase, and widens the temperature range of the BP I phase. Furthermore, the doped dilute SNs can fine-tune their positions to relax the formation stress of the BPLC lattices, and slightly increase the platelet sizes of the BPLCs. The doped SNs also decrease the driving voltage and response time of the BPLC cell, because the added SNs decrease the elastic constant of the LC host and the relaxation time constant of the BPLC mixture.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Silica nanoparticle
• blue phase
• liquid crystal
• hydrophobic

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (Most 101-2112-M-018-002-MY3, Most 102-2112-M-006-010-MY3, Most 104-2811-M-018-001, Most 105-2811-M-018-003).