Fabrication of polymer-dispersed liquid crystals with low driving voltage based on the thiol-ene click reaction

Polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) with a well-defined polymer matrix were successfully fabricated by the thiol-ene click reaction based on poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) and trimethylolpropanetris-(3-mercaptopropionate) (TMTP). UV−visible spectrophotometry, Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, SEM and polarized optical microscopy were employed to explore the PDLC films obtained. Electro-optical properties were studied with a UV−visible spectrophotometer. It was found that the PDLC films with optimal thiol content fabricated by the thiol-ene click reaction showed high transmittance, low driving voltage and a low memory effect. It was concluded that the driving voltage change of PDLCs with different thiol concentrations was caused by the polymerization rate and the structure of the polymer matrix. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry