Phase transition behavior and electro-optical properties in a polymer-templated amorphous blue phase

Abstract

We prepared an amorphous blue phase (BPIII) material consisting of a nematic mixture, a chiral compound, a binary monomer mixture and a photo-initiator. The BPIII material was photopolymerized, and the remaining liquid crystal was removed to create a porous cast. By refilling the cast with the achiral nematic mixture, we obtained a polymer-templated BPIII (TN–BPIII). The temperature range of BPIII was extended to more than 80 K. The Iso–BPIII transition temperature was found to depend on Iso–N temperature for the used achiral nematic mixture. We compare electro-optical properties of the TN–BPIII to those of the corresponding polymer-stabilized BPIII (PS–BPIII).