Reduction of threshold electric field on doping nematic liquid crystal with functionalized CNT

Abstract

Nematic Liquid crystals are orientationally ordered fluids whose average orientation direction can be manipulated on application of electric and magnetic fields. Carbon nanotube (CNT), a highly shape anisotropic object can find numerous industrial application because of its interesting electronic and mechanical properties. The self-organizing properties of nematics can be used to align CNTs dispersed in them. We have dispersed functionalized CNTs in nematic liquid crystal and carried out experimental studies. We will present results of electro-optic switching of CNT-LC dispersion. We have observed that addition of functionalized CNTs in the liquid crystal (LC) has led to reduction of threshold electric field.