Ferroelectric liquid crystalline polymers based on mesogens with halogen-containing terminal groups

Abstract

A new series of halogen-containing side chain ferroelectric liquid crystal polymers was synthesized. Mesophases were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction and molecular simulation. The behaviour of the liquid crystalline phase was investigated with variation of chiral centres, spacer units and grafted ratios. It was found that the thermal stability and temperature range of the chiral smectic C phase decreased with increasing length of the oligo-oxyethylene spacer, and decreasing mesogenic group content. The bulky substituent attached to the chiral centre reduces molecular packing in smectic liquid crystal phases, which disturbs the orientation of the side chain liquid crystal polymer. Furthermore, the influence of molecular structure on electrooptical properties of FLCPs has been studied by broad band dielectric spectroscopy (from 0.1 to 1 × 10⁶ Hz).