Abstract
The small angle light scattering from nematic liquid crystalline polymers was studied. The observed patterns are qualitatively interpreted in terms of the concentration of disclinations. Both a stiff chain and a semiflexible liquid crystalline polyester were investigated, and their light scattering patterns recorded at varying annealing times in the mesophase. A “domain growth” process is found to take place in a much shorter time scale for the rigid rod polymer, this being attributed to the relative instability of the disclinations.