Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals: Fundamentals and Applications in Smart Materials
Abstract
Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals (PDLCs) represent a compelling convergence of liquid crystal technology and polymer matrices, offering a rich landscape of tunable properties and multifaceted applications in smart materials. This review encapsulates the essence of PDLCs, traversing their fundamental principles, synthesis methodologies, characterization techniques, and diverse applications.
The fundamentals of PDLCs reside in the interplay between liquid crystal behaviour and polymer matrices. Understanding their phase behaviour, interface interactions, and optical, mechanical, and electrical properties forms the cornerstone of their design and applications.
Synthesis techniques encompass a spectrum of methodologies, from phase separation and emulsification to photopolymerization, each tailored to control the dispersion and alignment of liquid crystal droplets within the polymer matrix, thus shaping the material's properties.
Characterization methods, ranging from optical microscopy to spectroscopic and thermal analyses, unravel the intricate structural details, phase transitions, and response behaviours of PDLCs, offering insights crucial for optimizing their performance.
PDLCs find diverse applications in smart materials, including smart windows, displays, sensors, biomedical devices, and energy technologies, owing to their responsiveness to external stimuli and tunable optical properties.
Challenges such as response time, stability, scalability, and multi-functionality persist, spurring research toward advanced synthesis techniques, interface engineering, and multi-stimuli responsiveness.
The future of PDLCs hinges on interdisciplinary collaborations, innovative research, and a deeper understanding of their fundamental properties. As PDLC technology advances, it heralds a future where responsive, adaptive, and functional materials redefine technological boundaries across industries.
