Order parameter exchange and photoconductivity of nematic liquid crystals with various additives

ABSTRACT

Liquid crystals (LCs) are ordinarily taken into consideration to be a material which displays viscous flow behaviour, and some anisotropy of their physical parameters, as is frequently analysed for crystals meanwhile. It was aimed that the investigation of the applicability of nematic LC E8 on G-H systems with dye and carbon nanoparticle doping in this experimental work. In this manner, two different structured dyes (azo and athraquinone) and nematic LC (E8) were used. Firstly, important characteristics such as solubility, polarising microscope images, nematic-isotropic temperatures, dichroic ratios, order parameters, threshold voltages and current–voltage (I–V) properties were determined. Furthermore, it was deduced that dye and carbon nanoparticle doping increased the order parameter values very significantly. As a consequence, the results of the study such as solubility, order parameter, phase transition temperature ranges and photoconductivity are one of the highest values in the literature. Experimental studies showed that carbon nanoparticles which did not strongly distort the LC phase led to more stable structures.

Graphical abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Nematic liquid crystal
• order parameter
• photoconductivity
• nanoparticle
• dye doping

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.