Body Temperature Controlled Optical and Thermal Information Storage Light Scattering Display with Fluorescence Effect and High Mechanical Strength

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2017 Apr 5;9(13):11924-11932. doi: 10.1021/acsami.7b03092. Epub 2017 Mar 27.

Abstract

A kind of body temperature controlled optical and thermal information storage light scattering display based on super strong liquid crystalline physical gel with special "loofah-like gel network" was successfully prepared. Such liquid crystal (LC) gel was obtained by mixing a dendritic gelator (POSS-G1-BOC), an azobenzene compound (2Azo2), and a phosphor tethered liquid crystalline host (5CB), which could show its best contrast ratio at around human body temperature under UV light because of the phosphor's fluorescence effect. The gel also has quite strong mechanical strength, which could be used in wearable device field especially under sunlight, even under the forcing conditions as harsh as being centrifuged for 10 min at the speed of 2000 r/min. The whole production process of such a display is quite simple and could lead to displays at any size through noncontact writing. We believe it will have wide applications in the future.

Keywords: body temperature control; fluorescence effect; high mechanical strength; liquid crystal display; liquid crystal gel.