Translating 2D Director Profile to 3D Topography in a Liquid Crystal Polymer

Bibliographic Details
Title: Translating 2D Director Profile to 3D Topography in a Liquid Crystal Polymer
Authors: Pengrong Lv, Yuxin You, Junyu Li, Yang Zhang, Dirk J. Broer, Jiawen Chen, Guofu Zhou, Wei Zhao, Danqing Liu
Source: Advanced Science, Vol 8, Iss 8, Pp n/a-n/a (2021)
Publisher Information: Wiley, 2021.
Publication Year: 2021
Collection: LCC:Science
Subject Terms: dielectric structuring, dynamic surface topographies, imprinted polymer flow pattern, liquid crystal polymer, Science
More Details: Abstract Morphological properties of surfaces play a key role in natural and man‐made objects. The development of robust methods to fabricate micro/nano surface structures has been a long pursuit. Herein, an approach based on molecular self‐assembling of liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) is presented to directly translate 2D molecular director profiles obtained by a photoalignment procedure into 3D topographies, without involving further multi‐step lithographic processes. The principle of surface deformation from a flat morphology into complex topographies is based on the coupling between electrostatic interactions and the anisotropic flow in LCPs. When activated by an electric field, the LCP melts and is driven by electrohydrodynamic instabilities to connect the electrode plates of a capacitor, inducing topographies governed by the director profile of the LCP. Upon switching off the electric field, the formed structures vitrify as the temperature decreases below the glass transition. When heated, the process is reversible as the formed topographies disappear. By pre‐programming the molecular director a variety of structures could be made with increasing complexity. The height, pitch, and the aspect ratio of the textures are further regulated by the conditions of the applied electric field. The proposed approach will open new opportunities for optical and electrical applications.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2198-3844
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/2198-3844
DOI: 10.1002/advs.202004749
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/136b025fd475446aa2753b64be806c9a
Accession Number: edsdoj.136b025fd475446aa2753b64be806c9a
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:21983844
DOI:10.1002/advs.202004749
Published in:Advanced Science
Language:English