Colorful cholesteric liquid crystal polymer network patterns prepared using cholesteric liquid crystal inks
Jinghua Zhao, Ming Zhang, Yongxing Guo, Wei Liu, Yi Li, Yonggang Yang
Abstract
Colourful cholesteric liquid crystal polymer network (CLCN) patterns can be applied for decoration and anti-counterfeiting. Herein, the CLC inks were prepared using an acrylate liquid crystal, chiral dopants and a photoinitiator. Full-colour CLCN patterns were able to be printed out using only two CLC inks by changing their volume ratio. A structure with a gradient helical pitch was identified between different colours. For anti-counterfeiting, the colour patterns composed of opposite-handed CLCNs were also printed. A helical-nonhelical-helical structure was identified at the interface. In addition, CLCN patterns with a grating structure were also prepared. The results shown here not only give us a better understanding the cholesteric structure, but also lay the foundations for the applications of CLCN patterns in the fields of decoration and anti-counterfeiting.