In situ photopolymerization behavior of chiral liquid-crystalline monomersand image storage using ferroelectric properties

We report in situ photopolymerization behavior of ferroelectric liquid-crys talline (FLC) monomers with the polymerizable group attached to the rigid c ore through a long methylene spacer (carbon number of 11, MS11) and a short methylene spacer (carbon number of 2, MS2) and image storage using bistabl e switching of FLC monomers by applying an electric field. The polymerizati on behavior of MS2 was considerably different from that of MS11. This might be due to a higher concentration of the polymerizable groups in MS2. In ad dition, the relative conversion (the ratio of conversion under electric fie ld to that without electric field) in the SmC* phase of MS2 was larger than that of MS11. This result suggests that the change in macroscopic structur e is more effective in the polymerization of MS2 in which the polymerizable groups are more densely packed. Furthermore, the image storage was perform ed by in situ photopolymerization with a de electric field.