Thermotropic liquid crystals

This class of liquid crystal is formed by certain organic molecules on their own, without any need for solvent. Their main use is in flat panel displays, for instance in TVs, computer and mobile phone displays, but today’s research on thermotropic liquid crystals explore many issues that have little to do with this famous application. A good short introduction to thermotropic liquid crystals, prepared by Prof. Lagerwall and his co-workers while he was a Ph.D. student, can be found at the Chalmers University of Technology Liquid Crystal Group web site. Although it is by now a bit dated, it gives a quick introduction to the key aspects of thermotropic liquid crystals, with a focus on chiral smectics and their electrooptic applications.

In our own research we explore regular nematic and smectic thermotropics in shell configuration, chiral nematics as functional and responsive core in electrospun fibers, and chiral smectics for their ferro- or antiferroelectric properties.

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