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Updated: Feb 14, 2026
High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal
Published on: October 31, 2019
Dynamic behavior of a nematic liquid crystal with added carbon nanotubes in an electric field
Emil Petrescu1, Cristina Cirtoaje1
1University Politehnica of Bucharest, Department of Physics, Splaiul Independenţei 313, 060042, Bucharest, Romania.
Abstract:
The dynamic behavior of a nematic liquid crystal with added carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in an electric field was analyzed. A theoretical model based on elastic continuum theory was developed and the relaxation times of nematic liquid crystals with CNTs were evaluated. Experiments made with single-walled carbon nanotubes dispersed in nematic 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) indicated a significant difference of the relaxation time when compared to pure liquid crystal. We also noticed that the relaxation time when the field is switched off depends on how long the field was applied. It is shorter when the field is switched off immediately after application and longer when the field was applied for at least one hour.
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