Liquid Crystals and Other Partially Disordered Molecular Systems
A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical and Photonic Materials".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 September 2024 | Viewed by 1269
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Liquid crystals are materials that possess both the characteristics of liquids and solids due to their partially ordered molecular structure. The molecules in liquid crystals exhibit some degree of alignment while maintaining a certain level of disorder. This unique arrangement gives rise to intriguing physical properties that differ from ordinary liquids or solids.
Liquid crystals have diverse physical properties that make them suitable for various applications. One of their most well-known applications is liquid crystal displays (LCDs), which utilize the optical properties of liquid crystals to produce visual representations. The alignment of liquid crystal molecules can be controlled by applying electric fields, allowing for the manipulation of light transmission through the display.
Apart from LCDs, liquid crystals also find applications in other fields, such as electro-optical devices, photonics, and sensors. Liquid crystals can self-assemble into organized structures, and their properties can be modified by adding different compounds or varying the temperature. By incorporating liquid crystals into polymer matrices, interesting hybrid materials called polymer-dispersed liquid crystals can be obtained, which have unique optical and mechanical properties.
Non-trivial properties are exhibited by liquid crystals doped with micro- and nanoparticles, composite materials, hybrid materials, and complex molecular systems.
In addition to liquid crystals, there are other molecular systems that exhibit partial disorder, such as liquid crystal polymers, block copolymers, and colloidal suspensions. These partially disordered materials have attracted attention due to their potential for achieving desired properties through manipulation of molecular arrangement.
In conclusion, liquid crystals and other partially disordered molecular systems possess intriguing properties that make them valuable in various applications. Understanding the nature and behavior of these materials is essential for their further development and utilization in fields ranging from electronics to materials science.
Dr. Dorota Dardas
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- liquid crystals
- LCDs
- electro-optical devices
- photonics
- molecular systems
- block copolymers
