Orientated polymer-dispersed liquid crystals

Molecular orientation in stretched films of polymer-dispersed liquid crysta ls (PDLC) was studied by infrared dichroism. The investigated PDLC system i s composed of 4'-octyl-4-biphenyl-carbonitrile (8CB) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). It was found that a uniform orientation of 8CB can be obtained by s tretching PAA/8CB films at T > Tg of PAA, where 8CB is in the liquid state, and then cooling the films to room temperature. The orientation achieved i n this way is much higher than that obtained by stretching 8CB in its liqui d crystalline phases. The effects of liquid crystal anchoring at the interf ace on the orientation induction are discussed.