Scanning wave photopolymerization enables dye-free alignment patterning of liquid crystals.

ABSTRACT: Hierarchical control of two-dimensional (2D) molecular alignment patterns over large areas is essential for designing high-functional organic materials and devices. However, even by the most powerful current methods, dye molecules that discolor and destabilize the materials need to be doped in, complicating the process. We present a dye-free alignment patterning technique, based on a scanning wave photopolymerization (SWaP) concept, that achieves a spatial light-triggered mass flow to direct molecular order using scanning light to propagate the wavefront. This enables one to generate macroscopic, arbitrary 2D alignment patterns in a wide variety of optically transparent polymer films from various polymerizable mesogens with sufficiently high birefringence (>0.1) merely by single-step photo

SUBMITTER: Hisano K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5681215 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature