Author(s)

Yuzhen Zhao, Yang Zhao, Zhun Guo, Ge Liu, Lu Shen

Corresponding Author

Yuzhen Zhao

Abstract

Multi-reflective band cholesteric liquid crystal thin films have attracted much attention because of their great commercial value. The main reason is that the broadband reflective film can not only be used as a brightening film in liquid crystal display, but also as a reflective layer in energy-saving glass and other aspects. These advantages make it receive great attention in these areas. In order to fabricate multi-reflective band cholesteric liquid crystal thin films with photoresponsive properties, the first step is to configure photoresponsive cholesteric liquid crystals. As mentioned above, photoresponsive chiral compounds become the key here. As more and more intensive study of the special photoisomerization mechanism of azobenzene, the optical materials based on azobenzene derivatives have aroused widespread concern. The photoresponsive chiral azobenzene compounds have the advantages of simple synthesis, good compatibility with liquid crystals and great changes in helical twisting force during cis-trans isomerization. In this paper, a chiral binaphthyl compound containing azo group was synthesized and doped into liquid crystal to determine its helical twist force. The spectral properties of n-hexane solution were also studied.The experimental results show that the twist force of the target molecule is up to 37 μm-1.

Keywords

Azobenzene, chirality, binaphthyl, photoreresponse, helical twisting force