Elastic constants, viscosity and response time in nematic liquid crystals doped with ferroelectric nanoparticles

Abstract

We report on the role of ferroelectricity on the physical and electro-optic parameters in suspensions of nanoparticles in cyclohexane based, fluorinated nematic liquid crystals. The dielectric and elastic constants, response time, and viscosity of the suspensions were analyzed experimentally and compared with the undoped samples. Our study shows a decrease in the splay elastic constant and an increase in the dielectric constants, together with an increase in the average rotational viscosity.