Polymer dispersed liquid crystals and related electro-optical devices - An overview

To have a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC), the liquid crystalline material is dispersed into a liquid polymer. When the polymer changes from liquid to solid, the liquid crystal becomes incompatible with the polymer and creates dispersed droplets throughout the polymeric film. The film can be processed by standard techniques to have large and environmentally robust displays and light shutters. This paper describes PDLC films and their properties in a simplified approach, suitable for teaching the devices based on such films to students of university courses.