Ultra-slow director rotation in nematic side-group polymers detected by N.M.R.

Abstract

A novel N.M.R. method is described in which very high values of the rotational viscosity in nematic liquid crystals are measured with an improved accuracy of several orders of magnitude as compared to conventional N.M.R. methods. It consists of monitoring the deuteron line splitting while rotating the sample in a magnetic field. The rotation speed of the sample container is chosen such that the director orientation follows the container orientation, albeit with a certain phase lag. By synchronizing the data acquisition with the container orientation the phase lag is monitored for several hours. A simple relation, derived from the Ericksen-Leslie-Parodi equations, holds between the rotational viscosity and the phase lag. Frequencies as low as 10⁻⁶ Hz can be measured precisely.