Alignment layers are vital to the function of numerous devices based on liquid crystal (LC) materials. The pursue of versatile, effective and even flexible alignment layers, preferably prepared by simple methods, is still actively ongoing. Herein, we propose a facile one-step method by mixing silanes into the starting LC mixtures, which in contact with a glass substrate secede and self-assemble in-situ to form a stable and highly effective homeotropic alignment layer at the interface. Tetradecyldimethyl(3-trimethoxysilylpropyl)ammonium chloride (TDTA) is selected as the example to demonstrate the method, although a number of other silanes can produce similar results. With only 0.05 vol.% of TDTA added to a mixture of liquid crystals and reactive mesogens, a uniform monolayer is chemically attached to the substrate, which automatically aligns the LCs homeotropically. Furthermore, by blending the TDTA with acrylate functionalized silanes like 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (A174), additional reactive functional groups can be easily introduced into the alignment layer, therefore offering opportunities to adjust the interface properties. An electro-responsive smart window based on the polymer stabilized liquid crystals (PSLCs) is successfully prepared using a one-step method, demonstrating excellent electro-optic performances and notably enhanced adhesion between the substrate and the in-situ formed polymer network. These findings are valuable especially for the development of flexible LC devices.

取向层对于基于液晶 (LC) 材料的众多设备的功能至关重要。对多功能、有效甚至灵活的取向层的追求，最好是通过简单的方法制备，仍在积极进行中。在此，我们提出了一种简便的一步法，通过将硅烷混合到起始 LC 混合物中，该混合物与玻璃基板接触并在原位自组装以在界面处形成稳定且高效的垂直排列层。选择十四烷基二甲基（3-三甲氧基甲硅烷基丙基）氯化铵 (TDTA) 作为示例来演示该方法，尽管许多其他硅烷可以产生类似的结果。将 0.05 vol.% 的 TDTA 添加到液晶和反应性介晶的混合物中，均匀的单层化学附着在基板上，它会自动垂直对齐 LC。此外，通过将 TDTA 与丙烯酸酯官能化硅烷（如甲基丙烯酸 3-（三甲氧基甲硅烷基）丙酯（A174））混合，可以轻松地将额外的反应性官能团引入配向层，从而提供调整界面特性的机会。使用一步法成功制备了一种基于聚合物稳定液晶 (PSLC) 的电响应智能窗，表现出优异的电光性能，并显着增强了基板与原位形成的聚合物网络之间的附着力。这些发现对于开发灵活的 LC 设备尤其有价值。额外的反应性官能团可以很容易地引入配向层，因此提供了调整界面特性的机会。使用一步法成功制备了一种基于聚合物稳定液晶 (PSLC) 的电响应智能窗，表现出优异的电光性能，并显着增强了基板与原位形成的聚合物网络之间的附着力。这些发现对于开发灵活的 LC 设备尤其有价值。额外的反应性官能团可以很容易地引入配向层，因此提供了调整界面特性的机会。使用一步法成功制备了一种基于聚合物稳定液晶 (PSLC) 的电响应智能窗，表现出优异的电光性能，并显着增强了基板与原位形成的聚合物网络之间的附着力。这些发现对于开发灵活的 LC 设备尤其有价值。表现出优异的电光性能，并显着增强了基材与原位形成的聚合物网络之间的附着力。这些发现对于开发灵活的 LC 设备尤其有价值。表现出优异的电光性能，并显着增强了基材与原位形成的聚合物网络之间的附着力。这些发现对于开发灵活的 LC 设备尤其有价值。