Nematic-nematic phase separation from uniform nematic domain in polymer LC and low-molecular-weight LC mixture showing network lattice formation in pinning stage

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the LC/LC phase separation dynamics from the uniformly aligned nematic phase. The phase separation proceeded in three stages in the following order; the early spinodal decomposition (SD) stage, later SD stage and pinning stage. In the final pinning stage, an ordered honeycomb network structure was formed wherein the low-molecular-weight LC-rich phases were accommodated within hollow microcells of the polymer LC-rich phase. The size of the network lattice was varied by varying the weight fraction of the mixtures and the decomposition temperature.