Making a Liquid Crystal Thermometer

By Rano Sidhu1; NNCI Nano2

1. University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 2. National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

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Abstract

Liquid crystals are matter that has properties between those of a liquid and a solid. Liquid crystals may flow like a liquid but have crystals like a solid.colors of the objects are Color is the outcome of various light properties: absorption, refraction, or reflection. In the case of liquid crystals, the reflection and refraction takes place from the nanosize helices. As the stimulus changes (temperature, humidity, etc.) the pitch of the helix changes and so does the reflection. These helices are actually stacks of layers of liquid crystals that rotate in response to temperature. This lesson explores the temperature response of liquid crystals.

Credits

Developed by the Georgia Institute of Technology NNIN RET Program.

Sponsored by

This lesson was developed with support of the National Science Foundation, NNIN and the NNIN RET Program.

Cite this work

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

  • Rano Sidhu, NNCI Nano (2017), "Making a Liquid Crystal Thermometer," https://nanohub.org/resources/25537.

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Submitter

Nancy Healy

NNCI Education and Outreach, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

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