Abstract
The acrylic acid ester of (hydroxypropyl)cellulose was prepared from (hydroxypropyl)cellulose and acryloyl chloride. The resultant polymer, with 2.2 ester groups per anhydroglucose unit, formed a thermotropic cholesteric mesophase with visible reflection hands at temperatures between ambient and 60°C. By exposing a thin layer of the mesophase to UV light, the mesophase structure was stabilized to give a crosslinked cholesteric film.