LIQUID CRYSTALS BEYOND DISPLAYS

This book covers liquid crystals (LCs) with an emphasis on chemistry, physics, and applications part from the established and well-covered use in electronic displays. These include uses for photonics, power generators, lasers, molecular motors, carbon nanotubes, and biosensors. The book guides readers to the advances and directions of liquid crystal research, helping spur continued progress in the field. It uses several examples and discusses successful applications beyond displays to introduce fundamentals and state-of-the-art perspectives in the field. The chapters cover up-to-date developments and information on hot topics like magnetic and laser LCs, LC block copolymers, carbon nanotubes in LCs, LC-based chemical sensors, LCs for switchable windows, and LCs for nanophotonics.

The chemistry, physics, and applications of liquid crystals beyond LCDs Liquid Crystals (LCs) combine order and mobility on a molecular and supramolecular level. But while these remarkable states of matter are most commonly associated with visual display technologies, they have important applications for a variety of other fields as well. Liquid Crystals Beyond Displays: Chemistry, Physics, and Applications considers these, bringing together cutting-edge research from some of the most promising areas of LC science. Featuring contributions from respected researchers from around the globe, this edited volume emphasizes the chemistry, physics, and applications of LCs in areas such as photovoltaics, light-emitting diodes, filed-effect transistors, lasers, molecular motors, nanophotonics and biosensors. Specific chapters look at magnetic LCs, lyotropic chromonic LCs, LC-based chemical sensors, LCs in metamaterials, and much more. Introducing readers to the fundamentals of LC science through the use of illustrative examples, Liquid Crystals Beyond Displays covers not only the most recent research in the myriad areas in which LCs are being utilized, but also looks ahead, addressing potential future developments. Designed for physicists, chemists, engineers, and biologists working in academia or industry, as well as graduate students specializing in LC technology, this is the first book to consider LC applications across a wide range of fields.