Switchable smart windows using a biopolymer network of cellulose nanocrystals imposed on a nematic liquid crystal

Satapathy, P and Parthasarathi, S and Rao, DSS and Bano, S and Negi, YS and Prasad, SK (2020) Switchable smart windows using a biopolymer network of cellulose nanocrystals imposed on a nematic liquid crystal. In: Applied Physics Letters, 117 (10).

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Abstract

A polymer stabilized liquid crystal (PSLC) system formed by a nematic contained in a biopolymer network of cellulose nanocrystals, exhibiting many attractive features, is demonstrated. The threshold or the minimum voltage needed to operate the electro-optic device does not depend on the concentration of the polymer, a feature that is in contrast to the standard PSLC systems. A second point, more important from the driving circuit point of view, is that the voltage-off response time drastically reduces and even becomes practically invariant over the thermal range of the nematic phase. A smart window fabricated using this biopolymer network system exhibits good contrast between the scattering and transparent states driven by voltage and shows an exceptionally high haze factor. A highlight of the device fabrication is that the employed protocol is facile, making it appealing for a potentially viable smart window application. © 2020 Author(s).

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Applied Physics Letters
Publisher:	American Institute of Physics Inc.
Additional Information:	The copyright of this article belongs to American Institute of Physics Inc.
Keywords:	Biomolecules; Cellulose; Cellulose derivatives; Cellulose nanocrystals; Nematic liquid crystals, Device fabrications; Driving circuits; Electrooptic devices; Haze factors; Nematic phase; Network systems; Polymer stabilized liquid crystals; Smart windows, Biopolymers, Cellulose Derivatives; Contrast; Crystals; Liquids; Optical Materials; Systems; Windows
Department/Centre:	Division of Physical & Mathematical Sciences > Physics
Date Deposited:	23 Dec 2020 10:50
Last Modified:	23 Dec 2020 10:50
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/66674

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