Polymer dispersed liquid crystals (PDLC)
Intro to PDLCs
Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals: A Look Back, A Look Ahead by Paul S. Drzaic
Liquid Crystal Dispersions by Paul S Drzaic
Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystals
Liquid Crystal Online Lab
Collection of liquid crystal links
A good room temperature nematic is a liquid crystal mixture called E7. It is stable at a wide range of temperatures (-20 – 60 C). 12 EUR / g for 100g.
5CB (4-Cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl) ($9/g from China, $14/g Rexscientific)
Empty liquid crystal cells, $230
Polymer with a good refractive index match to LCs: NOA65, $30/oz. UV curable.
University lab with recipe for liquid crystals
Manufacture
spacing using microbeads
15-25 um, $48
Cospheric beads, 0.166um-7.75um, $150/g
Soda glass, D50=8-12um, $85
Sigma microbeads
6.0-8.0 um, $150