Multiwall carbon nanotubes doped ferroelectric liquid crystal composites: A study of modified electrical behavior

We systematically investigated the role of carbon nanotubes and their nature of interaction with the high polarization ferroelectric liquid crystal molecules that causes a change in the dynamic behavior of the liquid crystals. The carbon nanotubes were functionalized with carboxyl group (-COOH) before dispersion in order to enhance their stability in the liquid crystal medium. For the systematic investigation of a non linear behavior of dispersed composite systems, results for various physical properties were determined by thermal, morphological and dielectric studies in the planer aligned 5 μm thickness cells. An effort has also gone into detail to investigate these properties with varying concentration (0.02 wt%, 0.05 wt% and 0.1 wt%) of multiwall carbon nanotubes. The various carbon nanotubes doped ferroelectric liquid crystal thin film composites have shown enhanced dielectric strength and dielectric permittivity values as compared to the undoped sample.