Ds. Parmar et Jj. Singh, SHEAR-INDUCED SURFACE ALIGNMENT OF POLYMER-DISPERSED LIQUID-CRYSTAL MICRODROPLETS ON THE BOUNDARY-LAYER, Molecular crystals and liquid crystals science and technology. Section A, Molecular crystals and liquid crystals, 225, 1993, pp. 183
Polymer dispersed liquid crystal thin films have been deposited on a g
lass substrate, utilizing the processes of polymerization and solvent
evaporation induced phase separation. Liquid crystal microdroplets tra
pped on the upper surface of the thin film respond to the shear stress
due to air or gas flow on the surface layer. Response to an applied s
tep shear stress input on the surface layer has been measured by measu
ring the time response of the transmitted light intensity. Initial res
ults on the measurements of the light transmission as a function of th
e air flow differential pressure indicate that these systems offer fea
tures suitable for boundary layer and gas flow sensors.