Effect of achiral halogen-substituted bent-core molecules on the blue phases

The effects of molecule structure and concentration of achiral bent-core molecules on the blue phase liquid crystal stabilization have been investigated. Blue phase mixtures are formed doping bent-core molecules and BP temperature range is able to widen doping bent-core molecules with different substituents. Bent-core molecules with different substituents are found to cause a decrement in the threshold and turn-on voltages of the bent-core doped blue phase liquid crystal samples, as a result of the difference in their molecular shape and dipole moments. Use of bent core LC as dopants for a blue phase LC mixture led to a reduction of the driving voltage by more than 50%.