Possible enhancement of physical properties of nematic liquid crystals by doping of conducting polymer nanofibres

We report on the preparation and physical characterization of the colloidal suspension of conducting polyaniline (PANI) nanofibres and a nematic liquid crystal (5CB). The ac electrical conductivity anisotropy increases significantly and the rotational viscosity decreases with increasing wt. % of PANI nanofibres, while other physical properties such as birefringence, dielectric anisotropy, splay, and bend elastic constants are changed moderately. The high conductivity anisotropy of liquid crystal nano-composites is very useful for magnetically steered liquid crystal-nanofibre switch.