Polymerization of electro-responsive columnar liquid crystals and their molecular orientation control

Abstract

We have been studying electro-responsive columnar liquid crystalline ureas. In this study, we attempted realization of their ferroelectricity by introducing polymerizable groups at the terminal alkylchain of urea compounds followed by inter-columnar polymerization of the ureas. Moreover, we tried to switch the polarity of only the area where an electric field was applied in the liquid crystal phase.