Photomechanically Induced Phase Transitions in Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals

We report optically induced phase transtions occurring in two different host ferroelectric liquid crystals; SCE13 a multicomponentmixture optimised for room temperature performance, and CE8 a single component liquid crystal. These act as host liquid crystals for a novel guest azo dye, which can be made to photoisomerise using low power density U.V. illumination, resulting in dramatic changes in sample properties. We have shown that the magnitude of spontaneous polarisation of systems can be isothermally and reversibly induced or reduced, with the consequent appearance or disappearance of optical switching hysteresis. We discuss the parameters controlling the behaviour of the systems under U.V. illumination and suggest mechansims by which the transitions may occur. © 1993, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.

Centrifuge coating for low-waste solution processing of transparent nanostructured electrodes

Centrifuge coating was implemented to fabricate nanostructured conductive layers through solution processing at room temperature. This coating procedure allows fast evaporation, thereby fixing the nanomaterials in their dispersed state onto a substrate by the centrifuge action. Material wastes were minimized by mitigating the effects of particle reaggregation. Using this method, we fabricate single-wall nanotube coatings on different substrates such as polyethylene terephthalate, polydimethylsiloxane, and an acrylic elastomer with no prior surface modification of the substrate. The effects of the choice of solvents on the morphology and subsequent performance of the coating network are studied. © 2002-2012 IEEE.