Metal oxide nanomaterials-dispersed liquid crystals for advanced electro-optical devices

Liquid crystal (LC) material has already pronounced its profound impact on various technological and commercial applications over the last four decades owing to its distinctive dielectric and optical anisotropic characteristics. However, the ongoing demand for smart materials for advanced electro-optical applications creates a new avenue for LC for its use in next-generation displays and memory devices. LC materials show excellent characteristic features by forming an oriented thin layer which helps in designing switchable electro-optical devices. Interestingly, the dispersion of various metal oxide nanoparticles (MONPs) into the LCs exhibits superior electro-optical and dielectric properties due to the synergic interaction between the mesogens and nanomaterials. Further, the material properties of host LCs can be tailored in accordance with the nature and parameters of the guest MONPs, such as size, concentration, and physiochemical properties. Here, we discuss a meaningful approach to the significance of MONPs as a potential dopant to various host LC mediums, including nematic, ferroelectric, and polymer-dispersed LCs for applications in advanced electro-optical devices.