Effects of montmorillonite modification on optical properties of heterogeneous nematic liquid crystal-clay mineral nanocomposites

摘要

Investigations of montmorillonite ( MMT) clay mineral modification effects on electro-optical properties of nanocomposites, based on the nematic liquid crystal 4-pentyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) and MMT have been carried out. Only the composite with MMT modified by an organic surface-active substance, dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride, has been shown to manifest electro-optical memory effect and contrast. A polar dopant ( acetone), added to the mixture, significantly increases composite homogeneity. Results of IR spectroscopy measurements lead to the conclusion, that there is a mutual influence of components on each other in organoclay systems, which appears as an alignment of near-surface layers of both the organic and inorganic components of the composite. Due to such interactions these systems show electro-optical contrast and memory effect. A composite with organophobic Na-MMT does not show these electro-optical properties, due to the absence of component interactions, as shown by IR spectroscopic data.