ABSTRACT
Dispersions of liquid crystals in a solid polymer matrix have improved and expanded the performance of liquid crystals in a variety of applications. Dispersions of cholesteric liquid crystals were first used as temperature indicators to improve their ease of use and environmental stability. Two liquid crystal dispersion technologies have been extensively researched. Liquid crystals have been encapsulated in a polymer film by microencapsulation or emulsification techniques and are generically termed nematic curvilinear aligned phase. The Off state scattering is maximized by using liquid crystals with large birefringence and droplet sizes on the order of visible wavelengths and a high density of droplets. Electro-optic materials that switch from a scattering to a transparent state have been made from mixtures consisting of nematic liquid crystals dispersed in polymer microspheres connected by a small quantity of binder. The gap between the microspheres is filled with nematic liquid crystals.
