3B03 Steepened Electro-optical Response for (Polymer/Liquid Crystals) Composite Films and Application to Flexible Display

Abstract

Novel composite materials consisting of vinyl ether copolymers and low molecular weight liquid crystals (LCs) were prepared to develop a large-area and flexible display film addressed by simple multiplex electrodes. A bicontinuous phase separation of polymer and LCs was induced by photopolymerization of monomers dissolved in LCs. Extremely sharp electro-optical response applicable to a simple matrix display was achieved for composites including vinyl ether as a copolymer content. The mechanism of the electro-optical response was investigated based on light scattering characteristics, dielectric properties, morphology, rheology, polymerization kinetics and phase-separation kinetics.