A dye-doped polymer-stabilised liquid crystal with low polymer network deformation

Reverse-mode polymer-stabilised liquid crystals (RPSLC) can be used in smart building windows and automobile sunroofs. This is due to their zero-voltage transparency and low off-axis haze. However, RPSLC still faces the challenges of limited colour tunability and rapid fading of dye-doped devices during ultraviolet polymerisation. In this study, 2-Isopropylthioxanthen-9-one (ITX) was selected as the initiator, which helped reduce fading caused by dye photodegradation. To overcome the issue of sparse polymer networks and high susceptibility to plastic deformation due to the low initiation efficiency of ITX, crosslinking agents were added. These agents increased the crosslinking density and modulus of the polymer network, which reduced its deformation. This breakthrough provides important technical references for the development of next-generation intelligent dimming devices that combine colour adjustability and long-term stability.