Microstructure and Optical Properties of Composites Consisting of Nanoporous Stretched Polypropylene Doped with Liquid Crystals and Quantum Dots at a High Concentration

Abstract

Unique properties of nanohybrid composites based on different types of porous polymer matrices doped with fluorescent nanoparticles (quantum dots, QDs) are determined by the combination of the mechanical properties of the host matrix (flexibility, chemical stability, etc.) and a high luminescence intensity and extreme stability of QDs. Here, we report on the preparation, optical and microstructural characterization of a nanoporous stretched polypropylene matrix embedded with CdSe/ZnS QDs as fluorescent dopants at a high concentration. The microstructure and optical properties of two types films based on QD-polymer composites and liquid crystals are described. The distribution of QDs in the composite films and their morphology was determined. The annealing of the nanoporous composite films leads to shrinking of the pores and encapsulation of QDs, which results in a domain-like structure. The resulting flexible, stable and highly luminescent materials may be applied to obtain the highly luminescent diodes, the light converter devices and the display systems.

Orientation Behavior of Nematic Liquid Crystals at Flow-Wall Interfaces in Microfluidic Channels

“…Liquid crystal (LC) systems have attracted a sustainable fundamental and applied research interest as supramolecular materials with smart stimuli-responsive capabilities [1][2][3]. They are in constant demand for use in emerging applications in photonics [4][5][6], shapememory materials [3], sensors and actuators [2,7,8], security labeling [9,10], and in the fabrication of composites with polymers [11,12] and quantum dots [13,14] for molecular electronics and medicine. Important applications of LCs as smart materials involve liquid crystal [5,15] or composite [4,16] coatings and films for smart windows [17], haptics [18], or electro-optical devices [16].…”

“…Important applications of LCs as smart materials involve liquid crystal [5,15] or composite [4,16] coatings and films for smart windows [17], haptics [18], or electro-optical devices [16]. Orientation behavior is a key characteristic of liquid crystals that is responsible for their optical properties and for applications as functional supramolecular materials such as individual LC systems or their composites with polymers or quantum dots [11][12][13]17,19].…”