Thermo-Induced Transformations of Director Configuration within Nematic Droplets Dispersed in Polyvinylpyrrolidone

The transformations of the director configuration within the nematic droplets induced by temperature modification of boundary conditions have been studied. Nematic liquid crystal 5CB (4-n-penthyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl) doped with lecithin and dispersed in polyvinylpyrrolidone has been tested. As was shown, under heating the boundary conditions are changed from planar to homeotropic. It results in transformation of the director configuration in the nematic droplets. The inverse modification of the surface anchoring from homeotropic to planar has been observed at cooling. In both cases the transformations of orientational structure may occur in two different scenarios.