Dielectric Relaxation Studies of Silver Nanoparticles dispersed Liquid Crystal

This article reports on the Dielectric Relaxation Studies of two Liquid Crystalline compounds - 7O.4 and 7O.6 - doped with dodecanethiol capped Silver Nanoparticles. The liquid crystal molecules are aligned homeotropically using CTAB. The low frequency relaxation process occurring above 1 MHz is fitted to Cole-Cole formula using the software Dielectric Spectra fit. The effect of the Silver Nanoparticles on the molecular dipole dynamics are discussed in terms of the fitted relaxation times, Cole-Cole distribution parameter and activation energy. The study indicate a local molecular rearrangement of the liquid crystal molecules without affecting the order of the bulk liquid crystal molecules but these local molecules surrounding the Silver Nanoparticles do not contribute to the relaxation process in the studied frequency range. The observed effect on activation energy suggests a change in interaction between the nanoparticles/liquid crystal molecules.