Elastomers and Composites

The Rubber Society of Korea (한국고무학회)
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Vertical Alignment of Liquid Crystal on Film of Plant-based Polysaccharide Derivatives

  • Yeonsu Cho (Department of Chemical Engineering, Dong-A University) ;
  • Jihyeon Moon (Department of Chemical Engineering, Dong-A University) ;
  • DaEun Yang (Department of Chemical Engineering, Dong-A University) ;
  • Hyo Kang (Department of Chemical Engineering, Dong-A University)
  • Received : 2022.12.07
  • Accepted : 2022.12.23
  • Published : 2023.03.31
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Abstract

In this study, we investigate the liquid crystal (LC) alignment of LC cells created from plant-based polysaccharide derivatives, such as guar gum. Guar gum films exhibit satisfactorily high optical transparency in the visible light region (400-750 nm). For example, the transmittance of polyimide films, which are the most typically used LC alignment layers, is 87%, whereas that of guar gum films deposited onto a glass substrate at a wavelength of 550 nm is approximately 99%. The observed LC alignment depends on the rubbing depth. For example, an LC cell comprising a guar gum film fabricated via rubbing at rubbing depths of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 mm exhibits a planar LC alignment, whereas it exhibits a vertical LC alignment at a rubbing depth of 0.5 mm. Additionally, the LC alignment is shown to be correlated with the total surface energy of the guar gum films. When the total surface energy of a rubbed guar gum film exceeds 58.10 mJ/m2, an LC cell comprising the guar gum film exhibits a stable and vertical LC alignment. Therefore, guar gum can be used to realize the vertical alignment system of LC via a simple adjustment of the rubbing depth.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Financial supports by the Dong-A University Research Fund are gratefully acknowledged.

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