Influence of gold nanoparticles on the electro-optical properties of a nematic liquid crystal

The influence of gold nanoparticles on the electro-optical properties of the nematic liquid crystal ZhK-1289 has been thoroughly investigated. A concentration-dependent shift in the clearing temperature was observed, with a concentration of 0.003 wt% resulting in a decrease of 1 K, while an increase to 0.03 wt% led to a reduction of 7 K. Analysis of the electro-optical dispersion parameters revealed that the most significant change in refractive index anisotropy occurs within the wavelength range of 590–700 nm. Furthermore, the incorporation of gold nanoparticles was found to lower the Frederiks threshold voltage by as much as 15%. These findings underscore the potential of gold nanoparticles to enhance the performance of liquid crystal-based devices, particularly in display technology, antennas, and biosensors.