Electro-optical properties of inorganic oxide/liquid crystal composite film by the sol-gel process

The Electro-optical properties of a composite ceramic/liquid crystal membra ne, with the dispersed liquid crystals (LCs) in the high dielectric constan t inorganic oxides, were investigated. The composite membranes having bicon tinuous micron structure of matrices and LCs were made by the sol-gel proce ss via the syntheses of multicomponent sols using tetra-n-butyltitanate, ba rium diethoxyethoxide, methyltriethoxsilane and polyethylene glycol (PEG) f or phase separation. The switching behaviors of the composite films have be en observed by applying AC voltages at 1 kHz. It was also confirmed that th e driving voltage of the composite film depended on the composition of the inorganic oxide matrix. The composite films of high dielectric constant wer e driven at an electric field under 10 kV/cm, much less than that of existi ng PDLC.