Synthesis, Characterizations, and Liquid Crystalline Property of Photoresponsive Poly (2-[4-Methoxy Benzoyl Styryloyloxy] Ethyl Methacrylate)

Abstract

A novel liquid crystalline mesophase as well as photoreactive property of photo-cross-linkable liquid crystalline polymer has been studied in detail. The crosslinkable liquid crystalline polymer was synthesized by newer route and its structure has been characterized by ¹H and ¹³C-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Fourier Transformation Infrared, and ultraviolet spectral studies. The photocrosslinking property was studied by using both ultraviolet and fluorescence spectral techniques. The thermogravimetric analysis was used to determine the thermal stability of the polymer. Molecular weight of the polymer was determined using gel permeation chromatography technique. The grainy texture mesophase of the polymer was identified by Differential Scanning Calorimeter thermogram and also from the hot stage optical polarization microphotograph images, and all the results obtained were discussed. The morphology of the polymer network was observed using scanning electron microscopy before and after photocrosslinking process.

Keywords:

• Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
• hot stage optical polarized microscopy (HOPM)
• irradiation effects
• liquid crystals
• thermal properties

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Professor (Dr.) S. Ganesan, Director of Students Affair, Anna University, Chennai, India, for providing fluorescence and UV spectrophotometer facility to carry out this research.