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Soft, Self-Assembly Liquid Crystalline Nanocomposite for Superior Switching

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Abstract

Liquid crystal (LC) has long been a feature in Materials Science and Nanotechnology, have recently been extended into the appealing domain of complex hybrid materials. The crystalline structural effects of alkoxy chain lengths and the mesogen properties of hydrogen-bonded (n-OBASA) complexes (n = 5,6,7) have been investigated in recent studies. The LC-based hybrid nanocomposite materials–obtained by the homogeneous dispersion of zinc oxide nanowires (ZnO NWs) as a dopant into hydrogen-bonded liquid-crystalline compounds—seem to be particularly promising in this article. Optimizing the geometry of surface stabilizing electro-optic, LC cell reveals the typical intermolecular hydrogen bond (H-bond) formation. Here, we explore molecular-colloidal hybrid composite matrix formed from LCs and dilute dispersions of orientation-ordered ZnO NWs, for eventual potential application in smart switchable display devices. In addition, we investigated the structural, dielectric and optical properties of the nanocomposite, and electro-optical studies which were performed by exploiting the potential during the conditions before the opening of spectrum acquisition. Our novel findings confirm that the electric field induces a charge transfer of the LC molecules to the nanomaterial, which acts as a trap for ionic charges. This effect may be utilized to achieve superior switching operation that is electro-optically tunable. Such dynamic novel switching could be harnessed in smart LCD technology and pave the way towards innovative display modulation techniques.

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Acknowledgements

All the associate colleagues and doctoral scholars at Wuhan University, China should gratefully acknowledge by Prof. Kaushik Pal. Especially, sincere thanks to my Bachelor/Masters students, technitians and scientific operators, as well as entire teams of research members should acknowledge during “BK-21 Visiting Scientist” associate position in South Korea. We are grateful to our co-workers Prof. Madhu Mohan and Dr. P. Subhapriya from Liquid Crystals Research Laboratory, BIT Sathyamangalam encouraged for liquid crystal preparation and molecular dynamics performed by ‘Gaussian’ simulation. Sincere ‘Thanks’ will go to Dean (Research) at BIHER, Chennai provides excellence of the research laboratory foundation and co-operation of existing Nanotechnology laboratory. All scientific members are gratefully acknowledged for giving scopes to develop research ideas and scientific innovations. The author M. Abd Elkodous is also grateful to Prof. Radwan (Dean- Research), for giving research friendly scopes at Nile University in Egypt.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nanotechnology, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research(BIHER), Bharath University, 173 Agharam Road, Selaiyur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600073, India

    Kaushik Pal

  2. Department of Chemistry, Payame Noor University (PNU), Ilam, P.O. Box 19395-4697, Tehran, Iran

    Sami Sajjadifar

  3. Center for Nanotechnology (CNT), School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nile University, Sheikh Zayed, Giza, Egypt

    Mohamed Abd Elkodous

  4. Department of Chemistry, College of Physical Sciences, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

    Yakubu Adekunle Alli

  5. Instituto de Macromoléculas:Professora Eloisa Mano, Centro de Technologia-Cidade Universitária, Av. Horacio Macedo, 2030, Bloco J.LaBioS Centro de Tecnologia, Rio de Jenerio, Brazil

    Fernando Gomes

  6. Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, CDT250, 98009, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia

    Jaison Jeevanandam

  7. IIUCN, School of Chemical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, 686560, India

    Sabu Thomas

  8. Department of Nanoelectronics, MIREA - Russian Technological University, Prospekt Vernadskogo, 78, Moscow, Russian Federation, 119454

    Alexander Sigov

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  1. Kaushik Pal
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  2. Sami Sajjadifar
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Correspondence to Kaushik Pal.

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Pal, K., Sajjadifar, S., Abd Elkodous, M. et al. Soft, Self-Assembly Liquid Crystalline Nanocomposite for Superior Switching. Electron. Mater. Lett. 15, 84–101 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13391-018-0098-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13391-018-0098-y

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