纳米材料诱导液晶分子取向调控方法的研究与开发

Liquid-crystalline functional thin films, such as broadband reflection films with a pitch gradient or a non-uniform pitch distribution, show prospective applications in the fields of liquid crystal display (LCD) and light shielding, etc, making them the research focus all the time. However, the existing controlling methods for orientating liquid crystal molecules have seriously hampered the preparation and application of liquid-crystalline functional thin films. Therefore, based on previous researches, the project aims at developing a non-contact alignment method using the induction of nano-materials, which is in allusion to the advantages and disadvantages of the rubbing alignment method. In the project, a series of nano-materials with different properties, sizes, morphologies, and orientation effects would be prepared and dispersed into liquid crystals. Then the interaction between the nano-materials with different morphologies and microstructure, and the liquid crystals, as well as the influence of nano-materials on the liquid crystal orientation would be studied to reveal the mechanism for the nano-materials induced alignment of liquid crystal with different phases (including nematic, smectic and cholesteric phases). It will provide experimental support and theoretical guidance for the preparation and applications of practical functional liquid crystalline thin films with a broadband reflection property.

具有螺距梯度或螺距非均匀分布的宽波反射液晶薄膜等液晶性功能薄膜在液晶显示、光屏蔽等领域具有广阔的应用前景，因此一直是研究领域的重点。但现有液晶分子的取向控制方式，严重制约了液晶性功能薄膜的制备与应用。因此，本项目将在前期研究的基础上，针对摩擦取向的优缺点，拟开发一种利用纳米材料诱导液晶分子定向排列的非接触式取向方法。本项目拟制备一系列性能、尺寸、形貌不同的具有液晶取向功能的纳米材料，将其分散于液晶中，研究不同形貌及微结构的纳米材料与液晶之间的相互作用及其对液晶分子取向方式的影响，揭示不同纳米材料诱导不同相态液晶（包括向列相、近晶相及胆甾相液晶）取向的机理，为宽波反射液晶薄膜等液晶性功能薄膜的制备和应用提供实验支持和理论指导。

本课题制备了一系列Pd、Ag、Cu2O纳米结构材料，通过对纳米结构材料的尺寸、形貌及表面特性等物理性质的可控，以实现对不同相态和不同分子结构的母体液晶取向的调控，揭示了纳米结构材料诱导液晶取向的机理，为纳米材料在液晶领域中的应用提供实验数据和理论指导。此外，本课题基于纳米结构材料诱导液晶取向机理，还制备了具有温度响应和光响应的纳米材料/液晶弹性体复合薄膜，研究了在不同纳米材料诱导取向下的响应性机械形变性能，为纳米材料诱导液晶取向的实际应用奠定基础和提供新思路。