Center for Advanced Liquid Crystalline Optical Materials (ALCOM)

Welcome to the Center for
Advanced

Liquid crystal photo provided by
Professor Oleg D. Lavrentovich.

Liquid
Crystalline
Optical
Materials

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Before 1960, liquid crystals were virtually unknown. Today, they are all around us. They are used in the displays of calculators, laptop computers, and pocket television sets; they are an important component of high-strength fibers; and they occur naturally in cell membranes of biological systems. Their greatest technological impact has been in displays, where liquid crystals are second only to the cathode ray tube in a multi-billion dollar market. Their greatest potential is in tomorrow's flat-panel television, optical computers, and integrated optical devices for communications. It is not surprising, then, that research into advanced optical materials is a high priority in such technologically advanced countries as Japan and Germany.

In order to remain competitive, the U.S. needs an equally strong, integrated, interdisciplinary approach to the understanding, design, and production of these materials. It is the mission of the Center for Advanced Liquid Crystalline Optical Materials (ALCOM) to provide that focus.

Based at the Liquid Crystal Institute at Kent State University, ALCOM consolidates the internationally recognized and complementary expertise of scientists from Kent State University, Case Western Reserve University, and the University of Akron and integrates their activities with liquid crystal research worldwide.

The ALCOM consortium serves as an essential link between the academic and business worlds through workshops where industrial and government researchers can obtain meaningful training. Here, too, participating industry can acquire prototypes needed for funding or market study and advanced materials for the development of new or improved projects.

ALCOM Information
IPP Members Only
Principal Investigators Industrial Partnership Program
Publications and Patents Industrial Partners
Logos and web site links
ALCOM Update Newsletters Resource Facility
ALCOM Symposia ALCOM Success Stories
Liquid Crystals Short Course
Next course: Oct. 29 - Nov. 1, 2002

ALCOM Research Projects

ALCOM Education
ALCOM maintains educational programs at all levels of training. K-12 programs take advantage of the unique and attractive optical properties of these materials to teach and create interest in basic science. Undergraduate through postgraduate programs prepare scientists and engineers for the work force in industry as well as government and university laboratories.

K-12 Education Outreach Program
Creative Connections
High School students simulate liquid
crystal phases during an ALCOM
education workshop.
Chemical Physics Graduate Program, Kent State University

Polymer and Liquid Crystals Tutorial, Case Western Reserve University

International Liquid Crystal Society
ILCS Home Page
19th ILCC, Edinburgh UK, June 30-July 5, 2002

18th ILCC, Sendai, Japan, July 24-28, 2000
17th ILCC, Strasbourg, France, July 19-24, 1998. Photos and ALCOM participation.
16th ILCC, Kent State University, June 24-28, 1996.

Related Links    This web page is a
Links2go key resource.
#3 in Liquid Crystal Topic

NSF Anniversary Web Site ALCOM salutes the National Science Foundation
on its 50th anniversary.

Contact the ALCOM Center:
Dr. John L. West, Director
Liquid Crystal Institute
Kent State University
Kent, Ohio 44242 USA
Tel: (330) 672-2654
Fax: (330) 672-2796
email: johnwest@lci.kent.edu Prof. Jack L. Koenig, Associate Director
Department of Macromolecular Science, K.H. Smith Hall
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7202
Tel: (216) 368-4176
Fax: (216) 368-4171
email: jlk6@po.cwru.edu

Questions or comments about this web site:

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