Low-voltage polymer-stabilised blue-phase liquid crystals with oleic acid (OA)-modified LaF₃ nanoparticles

ABSTRACT

The resultant oleic acid (OA)-modified LaF₃ (OA-LaF₃) NPs were easily dispersed well in common organic solvents or liquid crystals (LCs). Usually, the stability of BPs depends on a well-arranged double-twisted alignment and a stable defect. Theoretical simulation shows that the BPLCs is likely to trap the doped nanoparticles due to the elastic interactions.By means of the OA-LaF₃ NPs we synthesized and doping into conventional polymer-stabilized blue phase liquid crystals (PS-BPLCs), it was observed that the on-state voltage can be reduced by 41% when the PS-BPLCs doped with 0.8wt. % OA-LaF₃ NPs compared with that PS-BPLCs without OA-LaF₃ NPs. It showed significant effects on the driving voltage when doping OA-LaF₃ NPs to PS-BPLCs. Our studies will certainly provide an effective and simple method to stabilize cubic BP structures and improve the electronic-optical performances, leading to potential applications in areas of displays as well as optoelectronic devices.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Liquid crystals
• low voltage
• nanoparticles
• wide temperature

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [21504099,U1733106]; Beijing Natural Science Foundation [4172050]; the National Key Research and Development Program of China [2016YFB0402004]; the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences [2017033]