Anisotropic polymer networks have found applications in optics, electronics and mechanics. A preferred way of making them is by photopolymerization of monolithically aligned liquid crystal monomers. The lecture will provide a short historic overview on their development in a framework of properties and applications. Special attention in the lecture will be paid to the structure-property relationships of the monomers and the networks that they form; still being relevant for applications that are currently under development. In addition the lecture will discuss early applications as optical fiber coatings, polarizing beamsplitters, color filters, optical retarders, transflective retarders, reflective polarizers and viewing angle improving films for LCDs.

In-situ polymerized liquid crystal networks: 25 years of research on their formation, properties, and applications

245th National Meeting (2013)

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