Study of synthesis of Zinc oxide Nano particles doped epoxy based PDLC

Polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) is a striking material and has an enormous role in an electro-optic display device. These electro-optical display devices are used in Architecture, Car windows, and Financial and medical treatment. This project proposes a novel technique for doped nanoparticle

Project Title

Study of synthesis of Zinc oxide Nano particles doped epoxy based PDLC

Project Area of Specialization

Electrical/Electronic Engineering

Project Summary

Polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) is a striking material and has an enormous role in an electro-optic display device. These electro-optical display devices are used in Architecture, Car windows, and Financial and medical treatment. This project proposes a novel technique for doped nanoparticles (NPs) in PDLCs. Nanoparticles (NPs) doped in PDLCs improve the electro-optical properties of PDLC and have attracted much attention. Nanoparticles like Zinc, Silver, Diamond, Aluminium, and Tungsten have attracted a lot of attention from researchers due to their piezoelectric and sensing properties. Polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) represent an important new class of materials for optical device applications. Their valuable advantages such as low operating voltage, high contrast ratio, requiring no extra optical elements (i.e. polarizer), quick electrooptical response, no leakage of materials, simple fabrication, low-cost production, and ease of processing make them more popular over other display technologies. Among them, the nanomaterials-doped PDLCs are observed to have superior performance relative to conventional PDLC materials due to their improved contrast ratio and time response. PDLC doped with NPS is expected to improve electro-optical properties including voltage transfer characteristics, threshold characteristics, contrast, and response time, and the mechanism of droplet morphology change will be investigated to explain the reason for the change of electro-optical properties, providing the possibility to obtain PDLC films with better electro-optical properties for wider method applications.
 The dispersion of NPs strongly affects the electro-optical properties of nematic liquid crystals. The development of NPS-doped PDLC films results in the low driving voltage has greatly broadened the applicability of these materials. In this work, zinc nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) will be prepared by using zinc nitrate hexahydrate, Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), Ethanol ( C2H5OH). A magnetic stirrer will be used for particle synthesis and these particles will be dry by using a hot air oven. These particles will be doped in PDLC by polymerization induced phase separation (PIPS) technique via UV curing method which has certain advantages over other techniques like no contamination, due to solvent and controlled thickness. Nematic LC, Methyl-2-propenoic acid cyclohexyl ester: CHMA, and 2,2-Dimethopxy-2-phenyl acetophenone will use to prepare PDLC film. ZnO NPs doped PDLC will be characterized by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), polarised electron microscopy (POM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Atomic force microscopy (AFM), and UV – Vis – NIR spectrometer.

Project Objectives

The project focuses on the sampling of PDLC film by following objectives.

1. Study the ZnOnps PIPS method based on thin PDLC film.
2. Study of synthesis of Zinc oxide Nanoparticles.
3. Enhancing optical and electro-optical properties of PDLC film.
4. Study the electro-optical properties of polymer-dispersed liquid crystals doped with Zinc oxide Nanoparticles.
5. Implementing nanoparticle-doped PDLC films in smart glass technology.
6. Decreasing the voltage of PDLC smart glass.

Project Implementation Method

In this work, zinc nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) will prepare by a chemical method using zinc nitrate hexahydrate, Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), Ethanol ( C2H5OH). A magnetic stirrer and other apparatus like a beaker, Stirrer, Flask, Weight machine, and PH meter will 
use for particle synthesis and these particles will be dry by using a hot air oven. These particles will be doped in PDLC by polymerization induced phase separation (PIPS) technique via UV curing method which has certain advantages over other techniques like no contamination, due to solvent and controlled thickness. Nematic LC, Methyl-2-propenoic acid cyclohexyl ester: CHMA and 2,2-Dimethopxy-2-phenyl acetophenone. In a simple PDLC film, the orientation of LC clusters located in droplets is controlled by an external electric field which allows matching of the LC and polymer refractive indexes. When LC droplet diameters are in a range of a micrometer, these devices switch from light scattering to transparent states, if their indices are matched. If the LC droplet size is reduced to the sub-wavelength scale; it leads to the non-scattering state of the film. The PIPS fabrication method is usually used in such kinds of biphasic structures. In this method, starting from a homogeneous mixture of monomer and LC molecules, a curing process induces a phase separation and formation of LC droplets. It is generally recognized that the phase separation is usually not complete and that a part of the LC molecules remains trapped in the polymer matrix. This partial phase separation and resulting morphologies were recently explained using a general Onsager theory of transport, highlighted the role of the initial nucleation phase, and recommended the use of nucleation centers to control LC volume fraction in the droplets. Considering the nanoparticle induction on PDLCs, the nanoparticle-doped method has many advantages. For example, it is much easier than the conventional chemical synthetic methods. This method produces many special electro-optical characteristics, such as frequency modulation response, fast response, memory effect, and low driving voltage. Recently, the nanoparticle-induced vertical alignment (NIVA) method has been reported in the LC cell, which is especially suitable for producing flexible plastic LC displays requiring a low-temperature process. The developments in nanostructured particles and nano-composite materials have a large impact on LC and PDLC display research. The present study provides a technical overview of nanocomposite materials-doped PDLC display. Due to their improved characteristics such as contrast ratio, time response, memory effect, and low driving voltage, nanomaterials-doped PDLCs predict better performance than conventional PDLC materials. Therefore, in recent times, nanoparticle-doped PDLCs enjoy wide acceptance among the display community.

Benefits of the Project

Nanoparticle-doped polymer-dispersed liquid crystal displays represent an important new class of materials for optical device applications. Their valuable advantages such as low operating voltage, high contrast ratio, requiring no extra optical elements (i.e. polarizer), quick electrooptical response, no leakage of materials, simple fabrication, low-cost production, and ease of processing make them more popular over other display technologies. Among them, the nanomaterials-doped PDLCs are observed to have superior performance relative to conventional PDLC materials due to their improved contrast ratio and time response.

When switched off, liquid crystal films are opaque, or solid, and can be used to make a space private. PDLC creates the best projection surface with HD quality visuals and 180° viewing angles, turning switchable glass into a liquid crystal display. It can turn transparent for full use of windows or glass partitions instantly. PDLC can replace blinds or shades used to create privacy in interiors. PDLC Smart Glass with IR reflection capabilities can also help control temperature. SPD is used to block up to 99% of light, creating shade, making it ideal for exterior windows. One advantage of using electronic PDLC smart film is significant savings on the use of other window treatments and applications for installations that don’t offer nearly as good a performance and/or convenience as these switchable films, like blinds, shades, and shutters.

PDLC film helps in many ways.

• Fire resistance: These PDLC films can be used for the fire resistance. Which reduces the intensity of the fire.
• Offices: These films can be used in office work.
• Automotive: Advertising on windows, Temperature control, Privacy
• Hotels: Bathroom enclosures, Dynamic lobbies, Stores, Restaurants
• Retail: Polite advertising on storefronts, Dressing rooms, and Concept spaces
• Healthcare: Private patient rooms, Operating rooms, ICU areas.
• Security: It provides a high level of security in all your private places whether it is in your home or office.
• Switch-ability: With the help of current switches, the crystal film of the polymer liquid can easily turn opaque into transparent. And these switches are very simple and easy to operate.
• Energy-saving and Environmental: This smart film can block 98%UV light, and 90% IR light. Moreover, it can reduce heat and allows people to enjoy dazzling sunshine. It can friendly help the energy saving.
• Several controlling methods:  Smart film consists of several different types of control methods
• Sound insulation: The PDLC film is between the blur switchable glass. Furthermore, it is noise damp.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

In this work, zinc nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) will be prepared by using zinc nitrate hexahydrate, Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), Ethanol ( C2H5OH). A magnetic stirrer will be used for particle synthesis and these particles will be dry by using a hot air oven. These particles will be doped in PDLC by polymerization induced phase separation (PIPS) technique via UV curing method which has certain advantages over other techniques like no contamination, due to solvent and controlled thickness. Nematic LC, Methyl-2-propenoic acid cyclohexyl ester: CHMA, and 2,2-Dimethopxy-2-phenyl acetophenone will use to prepare PDLC film. ZnO NPs doped PDLC will be characterized by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), polarised electron microscopy (POM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Atomic force microscopy (AFM), and UV – Vis-NIR spectrometer. The dispersion of NPs strongly affects the electro-optical properties of nematic liquid crystals. The development of NPS-doped PDLC films results in the low driving voltage has greatly broadened the applicability of these materials. Nanomaterial-doped PDLCs are observed to have superior performance relative to conventional PDLCs materials due to their improved contrast ratio and time response.
Among these PDLCs, the nanomaterials-doped PDLCs demonstrate better performance relative to conventional PDLC materials due to their improved contrast ratio and time response. Previous studies performed on nanoparticle-doped PDLC films predicted that these particles have positive effects in possible display applications.

Final Deliverable of the Project

Hardware System

Core Industry

Others

Other Industries

Medical

Core Technology

Wearables and Implantables

Other Technologies

Shared Economy, Wearables and Implantables

Sustainable Development Goals

Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Required Resources

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