We have demonstrated polymer-encapsulated blue phase (PEBP) liquid crystal droplets in electro-optical films with in-plane electric field switching. The PEBP films are prepared via solvent evaporation-induced phase separation of a mixture of blue phase liquid crystal (BPLC) and polymer latex. The PEBP films, laminated between two indium–tin-oxide coated conductive substrates, enable switching between light-scattering and transparent states in response to electric fields applied across the film. The PEBP films also allow in-plane switching to induce birefringence between crossed polarizers at low switching voltage and with fast response time.

This study explores the roles of UV-polymerizable silicon-based nanoparticles in polymer-stabilized blue phase (PSBP) liquid crystals. Our analysis reveals that the polymerized polymer leads to widening of the temperature range of the blue phase and stabilization of the reflection wavelength against temperature variations. A polymer morphology study of PSBP reveals the polydomain nature of the blue phase. In practical application, the advantage of the low-surface-energy property of the UV-polymerizable silicon-based nanoparticles leads to a significant reduction in switching voltage from 140 to 40 V.

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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an essential pathogen for public health and this bacteria commonly cause serious infectious in humans. In recent years, MRSA bacteria are detected by the bacterial culture and nucleic acid-based methods which are time-consuming and labor-intensive. In this study, a novel liquid crystal (LC)-based biosensing system was developed to overcome these limitations. The objective of this study was to detect the presence of MRSA bacteria which prepared within the isotonic water and phosphate buffer saline (PBS). In this system, the binding of MRSA bacteria to the dimethyloctadecyl [3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl] ammonium chloride (DMOAP)-coated surface disrupted the orientation of LCs, triggering a transition from a homeotropic orientation to a random one. This transition in the orientation of the LCs was observed as a change from a dark optical LC image to a bright one under a polarized light microscope (POM) and the reflection values of LC molecules were determined by using a spectrometer. Through this sensing mechanism, MRSA bacteria prepared within the isotonic water was detected ranging from the 9.2x10 3 CFU/mL to 9.2x10 7 CFU/mL concentration. Furthermore, MRSA bacteria prepared in PBS was detected in the concentration range of 7.1x10 4 CFU/mL to 7.1x10 8 CFU/mL by using this system.