Structural assessment of liquid-crystalline side-chain poly(vinyl ether)s: dependence on terminal group, orientation and temperature

• Published in: Polymer (Guilford) Vol. 35; no. 19; pp. 4041 - 4047
• Main Authors: Sahlén, F., Hult, A., Gedde, U.W., Ania, F., Martinez-Salazar, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.01.1994; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; liquid-crystalline polymers; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Properties and characterization; side-chain poly(vinyl ether)s; structural characterization; Structure, morphology and analysis; side-chain poly(vinyl ether)s; structural characterization; liquid-crystalline polymers; Side chain; Oriented polymer; Thermotropic state; Smectic state; Mesomorphic state structure; Experimental study; Liquid crystals; Phase transitions; Comparative study; Vinyl ether polymer
• ISSN: 0032-3861; 1873-2291
• DOI: 10.1016/0032-3861(94)90573-8

Oriented and non-oriented samples of two liquid-crystalline side-chain poly(vinyl ether)s, poly-[11-(vinyloxy)undecyloxy]-4-cyanophenylbenzoate (poly(1)) and poly4-[11-(vinyloxy)undecyloxy]-4-ethoxy-phenylbenzoate (poly(2)), have been studied by small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering techniques, polarized light microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The terminal group of the mesogenic unit played an important role in the organization of the side chains. With increasing temperature, poly(1) exhibited a smectic C, a transitional ordered smectic, a smectic A and finally an isotropic phase, whereas poly(2) showed a crystal B, a smectic A and an isotropic phase. Both polymers showed a glass transition at 310 K. The global alignment of the mesogenic groups did not affect the internal order of the smectic phases.