Chinese Journal of Liquid Crystals and Displays, Volume. 40, Issue 9, 1243(2025)

Polymer-stabilized liquid crystals for pattern inkjet printing

Zhili ZHANG1,2, Yi SUN1, Wenbin HUANG2,3, Xiaohong ZHOU2,3,4, Zhongwei YU1, and Yanyan HUANG1、*
Author Affiliations
  • 1School of Physical Science and Technology, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
  • 2Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
  • 3Key Lab of Advanced Optical Manufacturing Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Key Lab of Modern Optical Technologies of Education Ministry of China, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
  • 4Weiyeda Technology (Jiangsu) Co. Ltd., Nantong 226001, China
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    The conventional patterning of PSCLC films relies on prefabricated photomasks or complex micro/nano fabrication processes, which are costly and limited flexibility, thus restricting their applications in personalized optical devices. In this work, a drop-on-demand inkjet printing technique is employed to achieve rapid and efficient patterning, enabling programmable and highly designable liquid crystal patterns. A birefringent film is introduced to enhance optical modulation efficiency and realize gradient color variations. Experimentally, the reflection peaks of red, green, and blue PSCLC materials are centered at 680 nm, 550 nm, and 490 nm, respectively, and all enter a scattering state under applied DC voltages, demonstrating excellent electro-optical responsiveness. By optimizing the viscosity of the liquid crystal solution and the driving waveform, uniform PSCLC pixel arrays with a minimum pixel size of 60 μm are successfully fabricated, verifying the feasibility of the inkjet printing process. This low-cost and scalable patterning method significantly improves the precision of PSCLC patterning. It also expands their potential applications in flexible displays, smart photonic devices, and tunable optical elements.

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    Zhili ZHANG, Yi SUN, Wenbin HUANG, Xiaohong ZHOU, Zhongwei YU, Yanyan HUANG. Polymer-stabilized liquid crystals for pattern inkjet printing[J]. Chinese Journal of Liquid Crystals and Displays, 2025, 40(9): 1243

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    Paper Information

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    Received: Jun. 8, 2025

    Accepted: --

    Published Online: Sep. 25, 2025

    The Author Email: Yanyan HUANG (yyhuang@ntu.edu.cn)

    DOI:10.37188/CJLCD.2025-0119

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