Stripe Pattern Formation in (polymer/LC) Composite Films

Abstract

Composite films of polymer and liquid crystalline are prepared by solvent casting and dip coating techniques. Casting the solution of the mixture of polystyrene (PS) and alkyl-cyanobiphenyle (nCB) liquid crystals on a tilted substrate results in linearly-aligned droplets of liquid crystal in the composite films; i.e., a stripe pattern can be formed. The size of the droplets and the spacing between the lines are dependent on the tilted angle and the temperature. Moreover, a fast dipping can afford a similar stripe pattern. These results indicate that the flow of the solution on the substrate plays an important role in the formation of the stripe patterns.