Optical switching devices materials characteristics

Abstract The combination of nanomaterials and ordered deformable soft materials is emerging as an enabling system in nanoscience and nanotechnology. In this context, nanomaterial functionalized photoresponsive liquid crystalline polymers are very promising and versatile systems due to their dynamic function. Moreover, the unique characteristic of nanomaterials combined with the mechanical, self-organizing and stimuli-responsive properties of deformable liquid crystalline polymers opens up new and exciting possibilities. In this chapter, we present recent developments of photodeformable behaviors of liquid crystalline polymers functionalized with nanomaterials. The main emphasis revolves around how the physicochemical properties of different nanomaterials modulate the reversible photomechanical behaviors of liquid crystalline polymers and their potential application in devices such as optically controlled switches and soft actuators. 

Polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) is a relatively new class of promising material for many applications such as, switchable windows, display devices, infrared shutters, angular-discriminating filters, thermoelectrooptic switches, memories, gas-flow sensors, optical sensors, and optical gratings etc. These materials are examples of combined application of polymers and liquid crystals and command the attention of the display industry as well as the researchers. These consist of LC droplets which are dispersed in a polymer matrix. These tiny droplet characteristics are responsible... 

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