Self-assembled PEDOT nanoropes: Materials for improving electro optical properties of liquid crystal

ABSTRACT

A ropelike conducting polymer nanostructure was synthesized in this work. 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) was polymerized in presence of a nematic liquid crystal (5CB) giving rise to the PEDOT nanoropes with diameter 10–20 nm. UV–Vis spectra of the nanoropes was comparable with the lightly doped bulk PEDOT. However, unlike the bulk polymer, the nanoropes or helical nanofibres, separated from the medium could be re-dispersed in chloroform and could be blended with 5CB. Electro optical properties of 5CB were remarkably modified after incorporation of PEDOT nanoropes. The residual current for optical transmission, threshold voltage for Freedericksz transition and capacitance hysteresis of 5CB were substantially lowered after nanorope incorporation.

KEYWORDS:

• Capacitance
• Freedericksz transition
• nanoropes
• PEDOT
• 5CB NLC

Additional information

Funding

RG sincerely acknowledges financial support from WOS-A Project (WOS-A/CS-77/2011) granted by DST, India.