Nematic liquid crystal material dependence of easy axis on rubbed poly(4-vinyl pyridine) film

Abstract

An easy axis of rubbed polymers with aromatic side-chains depends on liquid crystal (LC) materials. In this study, alignment directions of liquid crystal materials, that is, parallel and perpendicular to the rubbing direction and vertical to the surface, are investigated on a rubbed poly(4-vinyl pyridine) film. LCs with different alignment directions are mixed and the directions are also observed as a function of the mixture ratio.