This side chain LCE is prepared through by photo-crosslinking acrylate monomers in a glass cell coated with an alignment layer. These LCE are prepared with a free, non-reactive LC mesogens, which are washed away after the film is released from the cell. Prof. Urayama has extensively studied director dynamic of LCE films using these materials. The image to the left shows optical and mechanical changes in the LCE when an electrical field is applied to LCE film. (ref. Macromolecules (40) 2007 p. 2277 review)

This material is prepared in a glass cell coated with a rubbed polyimide alignment layer. The crosslinked LCE polymer network is formed by photo-polymerization.The material is prepared as a mixture of unreactive and polymerizable mesogen, shown in the image to the right. The reactive acrylate mesogen polymerizes to form the LCE network, with the unreacted mesogen washed from the film after release from the cell. Material preparation involves the following steps.

  1. Chemical synthesis
  2. Mixture preparation
  3. Cell loading & photo-crosslinking
  4. Release from cell
  5. Washing

After the mesogen is synthesized, the LCE can be prepared in approximately 24 hours.

Highslide JS

Chemical structures of Low molecular weight mesogens used for the material prepared at the NLCMF.

Chemical structures shown above are respresentative mesogens used in the preparation of this material. The top molecule is the unreactive free mesogen & the bottom molecule with the terminal acrylate group is the polymerizable LC mesogen.