Effect of a Trifluorophenyl-Based Monomer on the Electro-optic Performances of Polymer-Stabilized Blue Phase Liquid Crystals

Abstract

We synthesized one novel mono-functional acrylate monomer. The effect of the new monomer on blue phase liquid crystal stabilization and electro-optical properties was investigated with different reactive polymer concentration and combination. The temperature range of blue phase samples was widened over 50 degrees C including room temperature through the use of polymer stabilization. Electro-optical properties including lower driving voltage (69.8 V), lower hysteresis (3.9%), lower response time (0.468 ms), and higher Kerr constant (9.4 nm/V-2) were obtained by optimizing the concentration of different composites. They are strongly influenced by the interface energy between the liquid crystal molecules and polymer combination system. It is found that hysteresis is sensitive to the polymer concentration.