单体BAB6和手性剂含量对聚合物网络稳定液晶电光性能的影响

采用单体4,4′-二[6-(丙烯酰氧基)己氧基]联苯(BAB6)和胆甾相液晶混合光固化,制得聚合物网络稳定液晶(PSLC)薄膜。利用紫外可见分光光度计、响应时间测试装置和扫描电子显微镜(SEM),研究了单体BAB6和手性剂质量分数对PSLC薄膜电光性能和网络微观形貌的影响。结果表明,随着BAB6质量分数增加,PSLC薄膜的聚合物网眼尺寸变小,透过率降低,饱和电压增加,响应时间缩短;随着手性剂质量分数增加,聚合物网眼尺寸缩小,液晶畴变小,驱动电压增加,响应时间进一步下降。当液晶∶单体∶手性剂的质量比为100∶5∶10时,制得了电光性能优良,响应时间为2ms的PSLC薄膜。     

Improvement in device performance from a mixture of a liquid crystal and photosensitive acrylic prepolymer with the photoinduced vertical alignment method

In a multicomponent nematic liquid crystal (NLC) mixture of a liquid crystal (negative-type NLC) and a photosensitive acrylic prepolymer, photopolymerization upon UV irradiation induces the separation of the LC and photosensitive acrylic prepolymer layers, thereby leading to a vertical arrangement of LC molecules. In this study, we propose a simple vertical alignment method for LC molecules, by adding a chiral smectic A (SmA∗) liquid crystal having homeotropic texture characteristics to an NLC mixture solution. Measurements of electro-optical properties revealed that the addition of the SmA∗ LC not only strengthened the anchoring force of the copolymer alignment film surface, but also significantly enhanced the contrast ratio (∼73%), response time and grayscale switching performance of the device.     

Improvement in device performance from a mixture of a liquid crystal and photosensitive acrylic prepolymer with the photoinduced vertical alignment method

Abstract

In a multicomponent nematic liquid crystal (NLC) mixture of a liquid crystal (negative-type NLC) and a photosensitive acrylic prepolymer, photopolymerization upon UV irradiation induces the separation of the LC and photosensitive acrylic prepolymer layers, thereby leading to a vertical arrangement of LC molecules. In this study, we propose a simple vertical alignment method for LC molecules, by adding a chiral smectic A (SmA?) liquid crystal having homeotropic texture characteristics to an NLC mixture solution. Measurements of electro-optical properties revealed that the addition of the SmA? LC not only strengthened the anchoring force of the copolymer alignment film surface, but also significantly enhanced the contrast ratio (～73%), response time and grayscale switching performance of the device.     

Synthesis of mesoporous nanocrystalline zirconia with tetragonal crystallite phase by using ethylene diamine as precipitation agent

Mesoporous nanocrystalline zirconia with high surface area and pure tetragonal crystallite phase has been prepared by bifunctional ethylene diamine as both precipitating agent for ZrO(NO₃)₂ to ZrO(OH)₂ and colloidal protecting agent for the ZrO(OH)₂ nanoparticles. The effect of refluxing time and temperature on the structural properties of the zirconia were investigated. The obtained results showed that the increasing in refluxing time and temperature improved the thermal stability and increased the tetragonal content of the zirconia. The results also showed that the addition of Pluronic P123 block copolymer surfactant acted as a cosurfactant and increased the specific surface area of the zirconia.     

ZrO2-膨化石墨/焦炭复合材料的结构和制备

运用两种不同技法制备了ZrO2纳米粒子改性的膨化石墨/焦炭复合材料,应用XRD、SEM和TEM对所得ZrO2改性炭材料进行了表征.技法1:在ZrO(NO3)2及NH4OH溶液中反复交替地浸渍低密度膨化石墨/焦炭块体,随后在1200℃氮氛中热处理,以使在炭块自由表面沉积ZrO2纳米粒子的薄层.技法2:将可膨胀石墨、酚醛树脂粉和ZrOC2 O4-改性的纤维素纤维混合物封装于一容器中,使之经受900℃热激震,随后在氮氛中1200℃热处理,获得改性复合材料.结果表明:复合材料中ZrO2纳米粒子呈现三种尺寸:6nm～30nm为单独的纳米粒子和小微粒;200nm～1000nm为长树突状结构物;1μm～40μm为形如纤维素前驱体的杆状物.     

Investigation of nonionic diazo dye-doped polymer dispersed liquid crystal film

Sudan black B (SBB) was used to investigate as the nonionic diazo dye-doped in polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) display, by polymerization-induced phase separation (PIPS) method. The maximum absorbance, contrast ratio, dichroic ratio and the order parameter of nonionic diazo dye in nemetic host (TL203) were investigated using UV?CVis polarized spectroscopy. The orientation of the dye molecules was controlled by electric field, which enabled the contrast ratio of the dye to be obtained by electrically switching. The change occurring on droplet morphologies and electro-optical properties of PDLC film with the change in contents of Sudan black dye and liquid crystals (LC) contents was investigated. We found an increase in LC droplet sizes with the increase of diazo dye and LC contents. Moreover the addition of small amount of nonionic diazo dye reduced the threshold voltage (V $_{\boldsymbol{\rm th}})$ , increased off-state transmittance, enhanced the contrast ratio and decreased the response time of dye-doped PDLC. Additionally the change in transition temperature of LC and changes in LC droplet morphologies with the addition of dye were also observed. Such changes were observed with the images taken by polarized optical microscope (POM). The detail discussions on such behaviours were also made.     

Acetylcholinesterase liquid crystal biosensor based on modulated growth of gold nanoparticles for amplified detection of acetylcholine and inhibitor

A novel acetylcholinesterase (AChE) liquid crystal (LC) biosensor based on enzymatic growth of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) has been developed for amplified detection of acetylcholine (ACh) and AChE inhibitor. In this method, AChE mediates the hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine (ATCl) to form thiocholine, and the latter further reduces AuCl(4)(-) to Au NPs without Au nanoseeds. This process, termed biometallization, leads to a great enhancement in the optical signal of the LC biosensor due to the large size of Au NPs, which can greatly disrupt the orientational arrangement of LCs. On the other hand, the hydrolysis of ATCl is inhibited in the presence of ACh or organophosphate pesticides (OPs, a AChE inhibitor), which will decrease the catalytic growth of Au NPs and, as a result, reduce the orientational response of LCs. On the basis of such an inhibition mechanism, the AChE LC biosensor can be used as an effective way to realize the detection of ACh and AChE inhibitors. The results showed that the AChE LC biosensor was highly sensitive to ACh with a detection limit of 15 μmol/L and OPs with a detection limit of 0.3 nmol/L. This study provides a simple and sensitive AChE LC biosensing approach and offers effective signal enhanced strategies for the development of enzyme LC biosensors.     

Application of Nanopowder to High Temperature Single Crystal Fiber Sensor

ZrO2, CuO, Al2O3 and SiO2 mixed nanopowder was used to coat the head of sapphire single crystal fiber for improving the properties of high-temperature single crystal fiber sensor. The result indicates that the head coated with above mixed nanopowder shows better optical stability,shorter response time and higher thermal shock resistance, in comparison with the head coated with coarse-grained particles with the same chemical compositions     

Thermoluminescent response of ZrO2 + PTFE prepared in Mexico to 90Sr/90Y beta particles

Results of studying the thermoluminescent response of undoped ZrO2 + PTFE pellets irradiated with 90Sr/90Y beta particles are presented. Previously, TL characteristics of ZrO2 films doped with rare earths were studied. Phosphor powder was obtained by evaporating a solution of zirconium nitrate in ethanol. In order to stabilise the traps in ZrO2 this phosphor was submitted to different thermal treatments. Optimal thermal treatment consisted in heating at 1100 degrees C for 24 h. With this powder. pressing at room temperature a mixture (2:1) of ZrO2 and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), pellets of 5 mm diameter and 0.8 mm thickness were made. The glow curve of ZrO2 + PTFE pellets exhibited two peaks at 200 and 250 degrees C: its TL response as a function of beta particles dose was linear in the range from 2 to 60 Gy. Repeatability over 10 cycles was 1.8%. Fading at room temperature was 3.8% per month.     

Fast and high-contrast liquid-crystal shutters with low power consumption based on an optical-mode-interference cell

Three electro-optical modes of nematic liquid crystal (LC) were investigated as applications for LC shutters: the waveguide mode (TN), optical mode interference (OMI), and supertwist nematic (STN). The characteristics of the three modes under dynamic driving were simulated by solving the Ericksen-Leslie hydrodynamic equations numerically. Prototypes of the three types of LC were fabricated for verification. The experimental data show good coincidence with the simulation results. Among the three LC modes, the OMI was found to have the greatest potential for LC shutter applications. The prototype that used the OMI mode showed high contrast, fast response times, low power consumption owing to the pseudomemory effect under an optimal driving scheme, and a low optical retardation of the LC cell.     

Synthesis and characterization of polyimide-based hybrid thin films from a novel colloidal core-shell nanocomposite particles

In this study, poly(4,4-(hexafluoroisopropylidenediphthalic anhydride)-co-oxydianiline) (6FDA-ODA) and a novel core-shell nanoparticle consisting of a core (SnO2/TiO2) and a shell (ZrO2/Sb2O3) with the composition (SnO2:TiO2:ZrO2:Sb2O3 = 18:5:3:4) were used to prepare polyimide/nanoparticles hybrid thin films. The resultant hybrid thin films were investigated by FTIR, TGA, DSC, TEM, SEM, AFM, alpha-step, UV-Vis, and n&k analyses. The results show that the prepared hybrid thin films had a good thermal stability. The size of nanoparticles was effectively controlled in the range of 8-10 nm in the hybrid thin films. These nanoparticles were evenly distributed across the hybrid thin films and no phase separation occurred. In terms of the optical properties, the prepared hybrid thin films had good transparency in the range of visible light. The cutoff wavelength had a blue shift as the content of the nanoparticles increased. The refractive index of prepared hybrid thin films increased with corresponding increases in nanoparticle content. Moreover, the prepared polyimide/core-shell nanoparticle hybrid thin films displayed excellent film formability and planarity.     

Optical sensors for the determination of concentrated hydroxide

An optical sensor system has been developed for the determination of concentrated strong bases ([OH-] = 1-10 M). The base sensors consist of SiO2/ZrO2-organic polymer composites and doped high-pKa indicators. Films were obtained by spin-casting these composite materials on glass substrates and were used as sensor elements for the spectrometric determination of hydroxide. The hydrophilic nature of the mixed oxide SiO2/ZrO2 and its chemical stability in concentrated alkali made it attractive as support in the composites. The organic polymers in the composites either provided better mechanical stability and dye immobilization or enhanced OH- diffusion and sensor response. The composite sensors showed a relative standard deviation of less than 2%. The response time of a SiO2/ZrO2-Nafion composite (sensor 2) was short (5 s), and a small hysteresis was observed during reproducibility measurements with 1-4 M NaOH solutions. The sensors were found to be stable in 4 M NaOH during a 30-day durability test, showing a standard deviation of 3.0-4.7%. The diffusion kinetics and hysteresis performance of the sensors were also evaluated.     

Infrared and raman spectroscopic studies of optically transparent zirconia (ZrO2) films deposited by plasma-assisted reactive pulsed laser deposition

Plasma-assisted pulsed laser deposited zirconia (ZrO(2)) films were studied by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy for structural characterization and thermal stability in combination with optical characterization by spectroscopic ellipsometry and optical transmission measurements. Only the monoclinic ZrO(2) phase was positively identified from the infrared and Raman spectra of the as-deposited ZrO(2) films, which show excellent optical transparency from the ultraviolet to the near infrared as revealed by optical characterization. The as-deposited ZrO(2) films are free of any SiO(x) interfacial layer when deposited on silicon. The prepared ZrO(2) films exhibit good thermal stability in their structural, optical, and interfacial properties up to 900 °C. Upon annealing above 1100 °C, a silicon oxide interfacial layer forms due to the oxidation of the silicon substrate surface by the oxygen diffused from the oxide film to the silicon substrate at high temperatures.     

高度支化水性聚氨酯的合成及性能EI

以甲苯-2,4-二异氰酸酯(TDI)、聚碳酸酯二醇(PCDL)、二羟甲基丙酸(DMPA)和聚醚胺(ATA)为原料,采用A2+B3法合成了具有高度支化结构的水性聚氨酯(HBAPU)乳液。用红外光谱(FT-IR)对产物结构进行表征;用光子相关光谱(PCS)研究了乳液的稳定性能,NCO/OH=1.3,w(DMPA)=6%时可以得到稳定的HBAPU乳液;采用旋转黏度计、差式扫描量热仪(DSC)、热失重分析仪(TG)、电子拉力机对产物的流变行为和各种性能进行了测试。结果表明,相对于线性水性聚氨酯(LAPU),HBAPU产物具有较低的黏度、良好的热稳定性、较高的Tg和拉伸强度。     

Mechanical treatment of TiO2 and ZrO2 oxide mixtures

The mixed ZrO2-TiO2 system (5-50 wt% of ZrO2) has been studied to investigate the influence of the mechanical treatment on its physicochemical properties depending on the composition, time of milling (5, 10 and 20 min, r.p.m. 82) and temperature (400, 550 and 700 degrees C). Samples were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersion X-ray analyzer, High Resolution-Transmission Electron Microscopy and nitrogen adsorption porosimetry. Results show that srilankite (TiZrO4) phase has been produced. No influence of the milling time and temperature on the phase composition is observed. The presence of zirconia increases the thermal stability of anatase phase up to 700 degrees C hindering the anatase rutile phase transformation.     

Ag nanoparticle effects on the thermoluminescent properties of monoclinic ZrO(2) exposed to ultraviolet and gamma radiation

The goal of this work was to analyse ZrO(2) in the pure state and when doped with Ag nanoparticles, by electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction and thermoluminescence methods. According to the results obtained, Ag nanoparticles did not modify the morphology or the crystalline structure of the ZrO(2). The thermoluminescent (TL) response of pure ZrO(2) showed two peaks, one at 334?K and the other at 417?K, when it was exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and at 342 and 397?K when gamma radiation was used. For ZrO(2) impregnated with Ag nanoparticles a diminished TL intensity due to nanoparticle shielding was observed, but the glow curve shape was similar. However, when Ag nanoparticles were added during the ZrO(2) synthesis, a shift of the TL peaks towards higher temperature values with reference to pure ZrO(2) was observed. A linear dependence of the integrated TL signal as a function of the irradiation dose was observed in all analysed samples. It was possible to determine some kinetic parameters, such as activation energy, kinetic order and frequency factor, using the sequential quadratic programming glow curve deconvolution; it was found that these values are highly dependent on the type of radiation used. Ag nanoparticles present in ZrO(2) also modified the kinetic parameters, mainly when they were added during the synthesis of ZrO(2). Our results reinforce the possibilities of using pure and doped ZrO(2) as an appropriate dosimetric material in radiation physics.     

Photochemical modulation of alignment of liquid crystals and photonic applications

The recent highlights in the photoinduced modulation of the liquid-crystalline (LC) alignment and their applications to photonics are reviewed. The molecular alignment of LCs can be controlled by either the photochemical process or the photophysical process and we can change the birefringence as well as refractive index of the material by the modulation of the LC alignment. The photoresponsive LCs show very quick response to stimulus light: the response time is ∼200 ns. Furthermore, the extremely large refractive index modulation (Δn=∼10⁻¹) can be also induced. The photoresponsive LCs, therefore, are potential materials for holographic recording and other photonic device.     

ZrO2及ZrO2:CdS薄膜的制备和表征

利用ｓｏｌ－ｇｅｌ方法合成了ＺｒＯ_２薄膜,并通过在ＺｒＯ_２薄膜中复合ＣｄＳ纳米粒子成功地制备了ＺｒＯ_２：ＣｄＳ薄膜．制得的ＺｒＯ_２薄膜透明并具有较好的光透射性,而ＺｒＯ_２的含量及膜厚是影响其光透射性的主要因素．分散在ＺｒＯ_２：ＣｄＳ薄膜中的ＣｄＳ纳米粒子为六方相结构,并具有较好的分散性,其平均尺寸为４～６ｎｍ．实验结果表明：ＺｒＯ_２颗粒的晶化会对薄膜的光学性能及表面形貌产生影响,但ＣｄＳ的形成可以抑制薄膜表面ＺｒＯ_２颗粒的晶化,从而得到较为平滑的薄膜．     

Alignment of liquid crystals doped with nickel nanoparticles containing different morphologies

Uniform homeotropic and homogeneous alignment of liquid crystals (LCs) is facilely achieved by dispersing Ni nanoparticles (Ni NPs) into the LCs. The alignment mode depends on the morphology of the Ni NPs. The mechanism of NP-induced LC alignment is elucidated clearly, indicating that the perfect orientation arises from the adsorption of Ni NPs on the substrate.     

Effect of the dielectric layer with photo-controllable surface relief on liquid crystal devices

We present experimental results for the dielectric layer effect on the electro-optical properties of liquid crystal (LC) devices together with numerical simulations. The photo-controllable polymer is used as a dielectric material on which the alignment agent of the LC is prepared. The surface relief structure can be induced on the dielectric polymer layer by photo-irradiation for fabricating LC microlens arrays or wide-viewing LC displays. It is found that the operation voltage of the LC device decreases with increasing the dielectric constant or with decreasing the layer thickness of the polymer. The experimental data agree well with theoretical results predicted from a simple dielectric model in the continuum theory.