Structural changes in liquid crystals doped with functionalized carbon nanotubes

Structural changes induced by electric and weak magnetic fields in the nematic liquid crystal (6CHBT) doped with low concentration (1 × 10−3, 1 × 10−4, 1 × 10−5) of carbon nanotubes, including single-walled (SWCNT), multi-walled (MWCNT) and functionalized with Fe3O4 nanoparticles are investigated using surface acoustic waves (SAW) and magneto-optical effect. The role of temperature, concentration and functionalization on structural changes under applied electric and weak magnetic fields is investigated using measurements of the response of both SAW attenuation and light transmission. The obtained results that manifest an effective orientational coupling between electric and magnetic moments of carbon nanotubes and the LC director are compared and the effect of their functionalization by magnetic nanoparticles (SWCN/Fe3O4, MWCNT/Fe3O4) on their behavior is determined.