Electrical And Polarization Behaviour Of Titania Nanoparticles Doped Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal

Liquid Crystal Research Lab, Physics Department, University of Lucknow, Lucknow 226007, India

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2015, 6 (1), pp 68-72

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2015.5614

Publication Date (Web): Dec 28, 2014

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail: rajiv.manohar@gmail.com

Abstract

The present study focuses on the effect of anatase TiO₂ (titania) nanoparticles (NPs) on conductivity and polarization in a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC). Different dielectric and electro-optical measurements have been conducted to explore the charge transportation and polarization mechanism in titania NPs doped FLC system. Doping of titania NPs show reduced dc conductivity of doped LC system attributed to the trapping of free charges by titania NPs at its surface. Polarization has been found to increase at low fields indicating reduction of field screening effect in doped FLC system. Optical response of the doped FLC system has been improved due to decreased intervention of ionic charges particularly at small electric fields. The present study will be helpful in minimizing the slow response problems and the grey level shift in liquid crystal devices which arise due to ionic effects.

Keywords

Ferroelectric liquid crystals, nanoparticles, conductivity.