Investigation of the Effect of Yttrium Oxide Nanoparticles Doped with Cerium and Neodymium on Electro-Optics of Liquid Crystal Polymer Composites

Morphology and properties of liquid crystal polymer composites doped with inorganic nanoparticles are described. These composites comprised nematic liquid crystal 5CB, polyvinyl acetate, and nanoparticles of oxides (Y 2 O 3 , CeO 2 :Y 2 O 3 , and Nd 2 O 3 :Y 2 O 3 ). Nanopowders were synthesized by the laser method of vaporization of a solid target under CO2-laser or fiber ytterbium laser irradiation. The effect of oxides on the electro-optical properties of the composites and times of response to an electrical pulse is investigated. It is shown that incorporation of CeO 2 :Y 2 O 3 nanopowder in liquid crystal polymer composites affects the decrease of the control field and the increase of light transmission in an electric field stronger than incorporation of Nd 2 O 3 :Y 2 O 3 nanoparticles.