Carbon nanotube-doped liquid crystal cells

We investigated the electrooptical properties of a carbon nanotube (CNT)-doped nematic liquid crystal (LC) cell. Experimental results reveal that the doped CNTs influence the elastic constant of LC-CNT dispersion. Using a small amount of CNT dopant, the rise time of the LC cell is nearly invariant; the threshold voltage of the cell increases due to the increase in the elastic constant of LC-CNT dispersion. At a higher CNT concentration, the marked increase in the dielectric anisotropy of LC-CNT dispersion markedly decreases the rise time and threshold voltage of the LC cell. The fall time of this cell decreases with increasing CNT concentration due to the increase in elastic constant and the slight increase in viscosity of LC-CNT dispersion. The rise time and the fall time of the LC cell are decreased simultaneously when the LC host is doped with a moderate amount of CNT dopant.