Liquid-Crystal-Carbon-Nanotube Composite: A Chemophysical Point of View

Abstract

This paper aims to provide insight into the chemophysical nature of the composite of liquid crystal (LC) and carbon nanotube (CNT). A dilute colloid of CNT dispersed in a nematic was prepared for dielectric and birefringence measurements. Molecular dynamics calculations revealed that the polarizability anisotropy of CNT, which induces anisotropic dipolar moments when the composite is subjected to an electric field, plays an important role in enhancing the dielectric anisotropy of the nematic host. Based on the results, field-activated LC materials containing tiny amounts of CNT are expectable for potential applications in LC devices.