21 March 2024 | Ziyang Huang, Zehao Zhang, Rongjie Zhang, Baofu Ding, Liu Yang, Keyou Wu, Youan Xu, Gaokuo Zhong, Chuanlai Ren, Jiarong Liu, Yugan Hao, Menghao Wu, Teng Ma and Bilu Liu
This article presents a groundbreaking discovery of an inorganic liquid crystalline dispersion with a remarkably large Kerr coefficient, achieved through the use of two-dimensional (2D) vermiculite (VMT). The study reveals that the 2D VMT dispersion exhibits an unusually high Kerr coefficient of 3.0 × 10⁻⁴ m V⁻², which is an order of magnitude higher than all known materials. This exceptional performance is attributed to the large geometrical anisotropy factor (over 1500) and the intrinsic ferroelectricity of the 2D VMT. These properties jointly contribute to the giant Kerr coefficient, enabling ultra-low operational electric fields (10³–10⁴ V m⁻¹) and the fabrication of electro-optical devices with inch-level electrode separation, which were previously impractical. The 2D VMT dispersion also demonstrates excellent ultraviolet stability, large-scale production capabilities, and energy efficiency, allowing for the fabrication of prototype displayable billboards for outdoor interactive applications. The research provides new insights into both liquid crystal optics and 2D ferroelectrics, highlighting the potential of 2D materials for advanced electro-optical applications. The study also demonstrates the feasibility of using 2D VMT in practical devices, with a prototype displayable billboard that can be remotely controlled and interactively used. The findings underscore the importance of 2D materials in developing next-generation electro-optical technologies with improved performance and efficiency.This article presents a groundbreaking discovery of an inorganic liquid crystalline dispersion with a remarkably large Kerr coefficient, achieved through the use of two-dimensional (2D) vermiculite (VMT). The study reveals that the 2D VMT dispersion exhibits an unusually high Kerr coefficient of 3.0 × 10⁻⁴ m V⁻², which is an order of magnitude higher than all known materials. This exceptional performance is attributed to the large geometrical anisotropy factor (over 1500) and the intrinsic ferroelectricity of the 2D VMT. These properties jointly contribute to the giant Kerr coefficient, enabling ultra-low operational electric fields (10³–10⁴ V m⁻¹) and the fabrication of electro-optical devices with inch-level electrode separation, which were previously impractical. The 2D VMT dispersion also demonstrates excellent ultraviolet stability, large-scale production capabilities, and energy efficiency, allowing for the fabrication of prototype displayable billboards for outdoor interactive applications. The research provides new insights into both liquid crystal optics and 2D ferroelectrics, highlighting the potential of 2D materials for advanced electro-optical applications. The study also demonstrates the feasibility of using 2D VMT in practical devices, with a prototype displayable billboard that can be remotely controlled and interactively used. The findings underscore the importance of 2D materials in developing next-generation electro-optical technologies with improved performance and efficiency.