Effects of Liquid Crystal Material on Electro-optical Properties and Structures of Liquid Crystal/Polymer Composite Film Prepared by Electron-beam Polymerization

Effects of liquid crystal (LC) on electro-optical (EO) properties and structures of LC/polymer composite (LCPC) films prepared by electron-beam polymerization of several nematic LCs and bifunctional methacrylate monomer were investigated. The bifunctional monomer formed polymer matrix structure of either the aggregate of microspheres or three-dimensional network containing microspheres in LCPC film, depending on a kind of LC. EO properties of the former were governed by properties of LC and relatively good. Those of the latter indicated low response voltage, but a low light-scattering in the absence of a field.