Control of alignment direction of liquid crystals and anchoring strength: approach from liquid crystal materials

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24560003
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied materials science/Crystal engineering
• Research Institution: Akita University
• Principal Investigator: YAMAGUCHI Rumiko 秋田大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (30170799)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ネマチック液晶 / 配向膜 / 高分子 / ラビング / アンカリング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Easy axes of rubbed polymers with aromatic sidechains have been investigated by using depends liquid crystals (LCs) which have different chemical structures of core substances, end substances and polar groups. Two LCs which align parallel and perpendicular to the rubbing direction are mixed and the alignment direction were clarified. Azimuthal anchoring energy is varied by using the LC mixture more than one order of magnitude. A selective adsorption of a certain liquid crystal material in the mixture is suggested on the alignment polymer.
In LC displays, LC mixtures with many different chemical structures are used. The alignment phenomena which cause the alignment direction variation and the decrease of the anchoring energy by mixing LCs may contribute to an image sticking and luminance non-uniformity (clouding, mura) in LC display.

Free Research Field

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