Bent core liquid crystal elastomers
Liquid crystal (LC) elastomers with bent-core side-groups incorporate the properties of bent-core liquid crystals in a flexible and self-supporting polymer network. Bent-core liquid crystal elastomers (BCEs) with uniform alignment were prepared by attaching a reactive bent-core LC to poly(hydrogenmethylsiloxane) and crosslinking with a divinyl crosslinker. Phase behavior studies indicate a nematic phase over a wide temperature range that approaches room temperature, and thermoelastic measurements show that these BCEs can reversibly change their length by more than a factor of two upon heating and cooling. Small-angle X-ray scattering studies reveal multiple, broad low-angle peaks consistent with short-range smectic C order of the bent-core side groups. A comparison of these patterns with predictions of a Landau model for short-range smectic C order shows that the length scale for smectic ordering in BCEs is similar to that seen in pure bent-core LCs. The combination of rubber elasticity and smectic ordering of the bent-core side groups suggests that BCEs may be promising materials for sensing, actuating, and other advanced applications.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE - Office Of Science
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-98CH10886
- OSTI ID:
- 1001320
- Report Number(s):
- BNL-94348-2010-JA; ISSN 1364-5501; JMACEP; R&D Project: LS001; KC0204011; TRN: US201102%%92
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Materials Chemistry, Vol. 20, Issue 39; ISSN 0959-9428
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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