Dispersions of carbon nanotubes in cholesteric liquid crystals with photoactive components

• Published in: Functional Materials
• Date: 2014
• Main Authors: Samoilov, A.N., Minenko, S.S., Lisetski, L.N., Lebovka, N.I., Soskin, M.S., Torgova, S.I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: НТК «Інститут монокристалів» НАН України 2014
• Subjects: Characterization and properties
• Online Access: https://nasplib.isofts.kiev.ua/handle/123456789/120477
• Journal Title: Digital Library of Periodicals of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
• Cite this: Dispersions of carbon nanotubes in cholesteric liquid crystals with photoactive components / A.N. Samoilov, S.S. Minenko, L.N. Lisetski, N.I. Lebovka, M.S. Soskin, S.I. Torgova // Functional Materials. — 2014. — Т. 21, № 4. — С. 373-378. — Бібліогр.: 30 назв. — англ.

Optical transmission and selective reflection data are reported for dispersions of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) in cholesteric liquid crystals comprising a mixture of cholesterol esters and azoxy nematic ZhK-440. The optical density was shown to be essentially non-linear with SWCNT concentration, with a minimum ascribed to formation of "stacked" aggregates of nanotubes. The location of this minimum, as well as the selective reflection maximum (helical pitch), are sensitive to partially reversible UV-induced trans-cis-trans isomerisation effects. The UV-controlled helical pitch variation was shown to be only slightly affected by introduction of carbon nanotubes. Application prospects of such materials in optoelectronic devices are considered.