Photopolymerization of polymer dispersed liquid crystals in microgravity

Polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) materials are produced in a microgravity environment to investigate the gravitational influence on the phase separated microstructure. PDLC materials contain a dispersion of micron-sized liquid crystal droplets dispersed in a solid polymer. The dispersion is achieved by one of several phase separation methods. The phase separated microstructure determines the operating parameters of PDLCs; therefore, a fundamental understanding of phase separation processes is critically importance. Preparation of PDLC materials in a microgravity environment is advantageous for studying the underlying processes of phase separation that are masked in our terrestrial environment. We investigate the effect of gravity on the microstructure of PDLC materials using photo-polymerizable materials aboard NASA's KC-135 aircraft.