Single walled carbon nanotubes persuaded optimization of the display parameters of a room temperature liquid crystal 4-pentyl-4′cyanobiphenyl

Changes in the electro-optical and dielectric properties of 4-pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl due to the dispersion of single walled carbon nanotubes have been investigated. Dielectric spectroscopy for planar and homeotropic aligned samples has been carried out in the frequency range of 1 Hz-35 MHz. Threshold and switching voltages, dielectric anisotropy, dielectric strength, relaxation frequency, distribution parameter and activation energy of an observed relaxation mechanism have been determined for the pure as well as dispersed samples. Electro-optical experiments illustrate that the threshold voltage required for the switching of the molecular directors from the planar to the homeotropic orientation decreases due to the dispersion of single walled carbon nanotubes. The steepness of the transmission-voltage curve also improves due to the dispersion of single walled carbon nanotubes. The dielectric relaxation study of the homeotropic aligned samples shows that the relaxation frequency corresponding to the flip-flop motion of the molecules about their short axes increases due to the dispersion of single walled carbon nanotubes.