Researchers at the University of Tsukuba used a liquid crystal matrix to create polymers with
To create polymers, physicists placed monomers inliquid crystals with direct configuration. As scientists have found, under the influence of new molecules, the LC structure twists like a spiral. The developers acted on the new structure with the help of electricity to polymerize. After that, the LC template was removed, leaving the polymer frozen in a spiral form.
Process diagram. Source: Hiromasa Goto, Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals
The developers tested their polymer withusing absorption spectroscopy with circular dichroism. The test results showed that the new material has strong optical activity in the visible wavelength range.
The researchers believe that the polymer they created could compete with OLED displays and serve as the basis for the next generation of low-cost and energy-efficient screens.
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