Photo-alignment of low-molecular mass nematic liquid crystals on photochemically bifunctional chalcone-epoxy film by irradiation of a linearly polarized UV light

Abstract

Photocrosslinkable chalcone-epoxy compound comprising 1,3-bis-(4-hydroxy-phenyl)-propenone was synthesized for fabricating the photo-alignment layer of liquid crystals. Chalcone group was introduced into the main chain unit of the epoxy oligomer. We observed a photodimerization behavior and an optical anisotropy of this material by irradiation of a linearly polarized UV(LP-UV) light. With a trace amount of cationic photoinitiator (TRS-HFA), polymerization of epoxy groups was also conducted at the similar wavelength range used for photodimerization. Linearly polarized UV irradiation on the chalcone-epoxy films with cationic photoinitiator induced optical anisotropy of the film and the resultant film can be used for alignment layers for low molecular weight nematic liquid crystals.