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Title: Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of Bent-Core Mesogen-Jacketed Liquid Crystalline Polymers

Journal Article · · Macromolecules
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ma051939d· OSTI ID:914181

We report the design, synthesis, and characterization of a series of mesogen-jacketed liquid crystalline polymers with bent-core liquid crystals (BCLCs). For the first time, BCLC mesogens were directly side-attached to the polymer backbone and bent-core mesogen-jacketed liquid crystalline polymers (BMJLCPs) were achieved. Both three-ring and five-ring mesogens were employed. The n-alkoxy substituent lengths for the three-ring and five-ring BMJLCPs were controlled as n = 1-5 and n = 6-16, respectively. Various characterization techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and polarized light microscopy were used to study their mesomorphic phase behavior. The monomers of five-ring BMJLCPs with relatively long tails showed mesophase behavior. Columnar liquid crystalline phase was observed in both three-ring and five-ring BMJLCPs. Columnar rectangular ({phi}{sub R}) phase was observed in the three-ring system. In the five-ring BMJLCPs, relatively short-tail homologues possess {phi}{sub R} phase, while columnar hexagonal phase was observed in the long-tail samples. The differences in the phase structures were attributed to the 'softness' of the macromolecular BMJLCP column surface.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). National Synchrotron Light Source
Sponsoring Organization:
Doe - Office Of Science
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC02-98CH10886
OSTI ID:
914181
Report Number(s):
BNL-78749-2007-JA; TRN: US200804%%323
Journal Information:
Macromolecules, Vol. 39
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English