Abstract
Dielectric anisotropy and electrical properties of the copper phthalocyanine (CuPc): 4–4′-n-heptylcyanobiphenyl (7CB) composite liquid crystals have been investigated. Liquid crystals exhibit dielectrically-controlled positive dielectric anisotropy (p-type Δɛ) and the dielectric anisotropy changes from positive to negative dielectric anisotropy (n-type Δɛ) behavior with frequency of applied electrical field. The critical frequency fc values for the 7CB and CuPc doped 7CB liquid crystals were found to be 602kHz and 518kHz, respectively. This indicates that CuPc doping causes a decrease in the critical frequency. The splay elastic coefficients of the 7CB and CuPc doped 7CB liquid crystals were determined and CuPc doping increases the splay elastic coefficient of 7CB liquid crystal. The 7CB liquid crystal exhibits a voltage-controlled differential negative resistance (VCNR) behavior and CuPc doping affects significantly VCNR behavior of 7CB.