Development of Blue Phases Using Ferroelectric Nematic Liquid Crystals as the Host Liquid Crystal

Abstract

If polymer-stabilized blue phase (PSBP) can be prepared using a ferroelectric nematic phase with extremely high dielectric anisotropy as the host liquid crystal, it is expected to reduce the drive voltage, which is a major issue for PSBP. It was found that isosorbide chiral agents (ISO (6OBA)2) are effective in inducing a blue phase in dioxane liquid crystal compounds (DIOs), which exhibit a ferroelectric nematic phase. In-situ photopolymerization of monomers in the blue phase exhibited by the mixture of DIOs / ISO (6OBA)2 was shown to result in PSBP with a temperature range of 70°C or more, although it was still partial.