The Birth of Liquid Crystals: From a Laboratory "Accident" to a Revolution in Display Technology

Have you ever wondered that the smartphone, computer, and TV screens we stare at every day actually originated from an "accidental" discovery in a laboratory?

The story dates back to 1888. Austrian botanist Friedrich Reinitzer, while conducting an experiment, accidentally discovered a remarkable material: when heated to 145.5°C, it turned into a turbid, viscous liquid; upon further heating to 178.5°C, it became a transparent liquid. This state, which was "neither fully solid nor fully liquid," sparked scientists' curiosity.

Later, German physicist Otto Lehmann observed this material under a polarizing microscope and discovered its "birefringence" phenomenon. He formally proposed the term "liquid crystal," opening the door to liquid crystal research.

Liquid crystal, as the name suggests, is a unique state of matter existing between solid and liquid phases. It possesses both the stability of solids and the fluidity of liquids. This distinctive physical property made it the core material for future display technologies.

Milestones in Liquid Crystal Display Technology1961: RCA in the United States successfully created the first liquid crystal display prototype.

1969: Japan's NHK promoted the integration of liquid crystals with integrated circuits, enabling mass production.

1970s to present: Liquid crystal displays have evolved through three generations:

①First generation: Calculators, watches

②Second generation: Electronic dictionaries, gaming consoles, home appliances

③Third generation: Computers, mobile phones, smart devices

Today, liquid crystal displays are ubiquitous and have become an indispensable part of our daily lives.

Do You Know the Advantages of Liquid Crystals?The widespread adoption of liquid crystal displays is attributed to their key characteristics:

✅ Low Power Consumption: More energy-efficient than traditional display technologies.

✅ Thin and Lightweight: Flat-panel structure with a compact form factor.

✅ High Information Capacity: Suitable for high-resolution displays.

✅ Color Display: Rich colors and excellent visual performance.

✅ No Radiation, Pollution-Free: Environmentally friendly and health-conscious.

The "Three Brothers" of Liquid Crystals: Different TypesLiquid crystals are not uniform; based on molecular alignment, they are categorized into:

1.Nematic: Molecules align neatly with fast response times, widely used in TVs and computer monitors.

2.Smectic: Molecules arrange in layered structures with slower response times, often used in optical storage materials.

3.Cholesteric: Molecules form a spiral arrangement, with colors changing with temperature, commonly used in temperature sensors.

Focusing on Display Technology, Connecting Future Visions

On the evolving path of liquid crystal technology, CNK, as a specialized, sophisticated, and innovative technology enterprise, not only offers a complete product line including monochrome LCDs, TFT display modules, OLED modules, and HMI human-machine interaction modules but also possesses diverse display capabilities ranging from 0.96 to 15.6 inches.

Whether you need customized LCD screens or are looking for reliable LCD display manufacturers, CNK provides end-to-end services from design to mass production.

About CNK

Founded in Shenzhen in 2010, CNK Electronics (CNK in brief) expanded the world leading factory in Longyan, Fujian in 2019. It is a national specialized and innovative "little giant" enterprise that specializes in the design, development, production and sales of display products. CNK provides customers with a full range of cost-effective small and medium-sized display modules, solutions, and services with excellent quality worldwide. Oriented in technology and high quality, CNK keeps sustainable development, works to offer customers  better and stable services.