Liquid Crystalline Behaviour of Polymer Networks Based on Segmented Chain Mesogenic Polymers

Abstract

The synthesis of some crosslinked polymers based on a segmented-chain polymeric mesogen containing variable amounts of a side chain substituent is reported. The unswollen networks show thermotropic mesomorphism of nematic character whose stability decreases with increasing substitution and crosslink density. Depending on the same parameters, the swollen networks may show optical anisotropy at room temperature whose origin is attributed to phase separation