STABILITY OF EQUILIBRIA OF NEMATIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMERS

We provide an analytical study on the stability of equilibria of rigid rodlike nematic liquid crystalline polymers （LCPs） governed by the Smoluchowski equation with the Maier-Saupe intermolecular potential. We simplify the expression of the free energy of an orientational distribution function of rodlike LCP molecules by properly selecting a coordinate system and then investigate its stability with respect to perturbations of orientational probability density. By computing the Hessian matrix explicitly, we are able to prove the hysteresis phenomenon of nematic LCPs： when the normalized polymer concentration b is below a critical value b＊ （6.T314863965）, the only equilibrium state is isotropic and it is stable; when b＊ 〈 b 〈 15/2, two anisotropic （prolate） equilibrium states occur together with a stable isotropic equilibrium state. Here the more aligned prolate state is stable whereas the less aligned prolate state is unstable. When b 〉 15/2, there are three equilibrium states： a stable prolate state, an unstable isotropie state and an unstable oblate state.

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TRIAZOLE CONTAINING LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMERS THROUGH 1,3-DIPOLAR CYCLOADDITION POLYMERIZATION

Liquid crystalline polymers containing 1,2,3-triazole units as linking groups have been synthesized from the monomers containing triad ester diazide and flexible dialkyne ester by 1,3-cycloaddition reaction and were characterized. Click reaction of azide and alkyne functionals catalyzed by Cu(I) yielded target polyesters with 1,2,3-triazole groups.The structure of the polymer was confirmed by spectral techniques.GPC analysis reveals that the polymers have moderate molecular weight with narrow distribution.H...

SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF NEW MESOGEN-JACKETED LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMERS

Some new mesogen-jacketed liquid crystalline polymers (MJLCP) with polymer backbones, spacers, and mesogenic units of different structures were synthesized by radical polymerization. The mesomorphic behavior of these polymers was examined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarizing optical microscopy (POM). Their liquid crystallinity is influenced by the variation of polymer backbone, spacer, mesogenic unit and its terminal groups. The results show that 1) a more flexible polymer main-chain is more favorable to the formation of a liquid crystal phase, while 2) a flexible spacer will decrease the 'Jacket Effect' and the liquid crystallinity and 3) a subtle modification of the terminal groups on the mesogenic unit may also have a significant influence on properties of the polymers.

EFFECT OF DRAWING ON MORPHOLOGY,STRUCTURE AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF BLENDS OF A LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMER AND MODIFIED POLY(PHENYLENE OXIDE)

Polymer strands with various draw ratios of a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) and modified poly(phenylene oxide) were prepared by drawing the melts leaving a slit die in open air. The morphology, structure and mechanical properties of the resulting strands were studied as a function of LCP content and draw ratio. It was found that the thermal and mechanical properties of the matrix phase did not change dramatically with the amount of LCP and draw ratio, but the orientation of LCP phase could be increased with draw ratio. The mechanical properties of the strands could be improved by moderately drawing the melts. Wide angle X-ray diffraction suggested that the improvement in tensile strength of the strands was due to the resultant fibrillation of LCP phase and enhanced molecular orientation. Morphological observation indicated that excessive drawing of the strands could lead to the break down of the microfibrils of LCP and thus resulted in the decrease of mechanical strength.

WHOLLY-AROMATIC THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMER AND ITS BLOCK COPOLYMER

A wholly-aromatic thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (WATLCP) composed of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), 4,4'-dihydroxy bisphenyl (BP), terephthalic acid (TPA), m-phthalic acid (MPA) was synthesized. It was symbolized by BP-LCP. Using a similar method, a new copolymer BP-PSF was prepared. BP-PSF has a semi-flexible chain polysulfone and a rigid-rod chain like BP-LCP. By FT-IR, polarizing microscope and DSC technique, the structures and properties of BP-LCP and BP-PSF were studied.

MORPHOLOGICAL AND KINETIC STUDIES OF PHASE TRANSITIONS OF A SIDE-CHAIN LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMER

The morphological changes of a side-chain liquid-crystalline polymethacrylate during isotropization and liquid-crystallization transitions were studied by means of polarizing microscopy. These transitions were found to be composed of the initiation of a new phase at local places of the old phase matrix and the growth of the new phase: domains. The kinetics of the liquid-crystallization of the polymer from an isotropic melt to a smectic mesophase was also investigated. The isothermal process of the transition can be described by the Avrami equation. The values of the Avrami exponent were found to be around 2.6. which is lower than the value usually obtained for crystallization transition of polymers, but larger than that reported for liquid-crystallization transition of main-chain polymers. These results may indicate the difference in growth geometry of new phase during transition between crystallization and liquid-crystallization in general and between liquid-crystallization of main-chain and side-chain polymers. It was found that the liquid-crystallization of the used side-chain polymethacrylate may occur at small undercoolings with high transformation rate similar to that of main-chain polymers and small-molecule liquid crystals, while the crystallization of polymers can only proceed at large undercoolings. These phenomena can be explained by the idea that the surface free energy of nucleus during liquid-crystallization transition is less than that for crystallization, and evidence was obtained from analysis of the temperature dependence of the transformation rate.

TRANSITIONS AND MODRPHOLOGY OF MAIN-CHAIN LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMERS WITH X-SHAPED MESOGENS

The transitions and morphology of a series of main-chain liquid crystalline polymer with X-shaped mesogens were studied by means of DSC,SALS and polarizing microscopy techniques. Aneven-odd effect was observed for samples with different size of the substituents on the mesogenends. The isotropization process was similar to that of main-chain polymers with rod-likemesogens. No crystallization was detected for specimens cooling down from their isotropic meltstate. However two of the samples may crystallize in cooling process directly from the liquidcrystalline state.

LAMELLAR STRUCTURE OF THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMERS

The lamellar structure of a thermotropic aromatic polyester with flexible spacer has beenstudied by using transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the lamellar structure couldbe observed in the crystalline samples of this semirigid polymer crystallized from different states.The thickness of lamellae is around 10 nm, which is similar to that of the conventional polymersof flexible chain molecules. The molecular chains in the lamellae are oriented in the thicknessdirection as determined by electron diffraction. The possibility of molecular chains folding in the lamellae has been discussed.

The Rheological and Extrusion Behaviour of Blends Based on Phenolphthalein Poly(ether-ether-sulfone)and Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Polymer

A novel engineering thermoplastic, phenolphthalein poly(ether ether sulfone)(PES C) was blended with a commercial thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer(TLCP), Vectra A950, up to 30 weight percent of TLCP. A rheometrics dynamic spectrometer (RDS Ⅱ) and a CEAST capillary rheometer, a rheoscope 1000 were employed to investigate the melt rheology and extrusion behaviour at both the low and high shearing rates. The morphologies of the blends under different shearing were observed with a scanning electron microscope(SEM) and correlated to the observed rheology. The principal normal stress differences measured with cone and plate geometry give a temperature independent correlation for both blend and PES C when they are plotted against shear stress. But the extrudate swell of the blends showed a strong temperature dependence at each shear stress. The concentration dependence of extrudate swell shows a contrary behaviour to that of the inorganic filled system. A reasonable hypothesis based on the relaxation and disorientation of TLCP during flowing in the capillary and exiting was given to explain it. The melt fracture was checked after extrusion from capillary and was discussed.

A NEW STRATEGY FOR THE DESIGN OF LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMERS WITH FLEXIBLE AND APOLAR BUILDING BLOCKS

The synthesis and characterization of a new series of liquid crystalline polymers, poly(dicycloalkylvinylterephthalate)s, are reported. The basic building blocks of these polymers are not mesogenic by themselves. However,very stable mesophases can be generated by self-assembly of the polymer molecules. This approach suggests a novel designstrategy of liquid crystalline polymers with flexible and apolar building blocks.

MORPHOLOGICAL STUDIES OF A THERMOTROPIC SIDE-CHAIN LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMER DURING MESOPHASE TRANSITIONS

The morphological features of a side-chain liquid crystalline polymer during the mesophase transitions were investigated by using the DSC technique. The polymer used was polyacrylate with mesogens of three benzene rings attached to the main chain through a flexible spacer. A special two-phase texture was observed in the transition temperature range. Similar to main-chain liquid crystalline polymers the transition process of the side-chain liquid crystalline polymer was composed of an initiation of the new phase at local places of the old phase matrix and a growth process of the new phase domains.

MELT BLENDS OF POLY (BUTYLEN TEREPHTHALATE) AND A THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMER

With the help of differential scanning calorimetry, cone-plate and capillary rheometry andscanning electron microscopy, a research has been conducted on rheological behavior,crystallization and morphology of poly (butylene terephthalate) (PBT) blends containing athermotropic LCP. The blend has zero entrance pressure loss, although the LCP has rather largeone. The viscosity curve of the blend lies between those of the LCP and PBT. The crystallizationof PBT is not affected by the presence of the LCP together with no indication oftransesterification between the two ingredients. LCP spheres and ellipsoids with the size of 0. 5--1. 5 μm disperse in PBT matrix uniformly, which is related to the viscosity ratio of the two components.

STUDY ON INTERMITTENT SHEAR FLOW AND RELAXATION BEHAVIOR OF THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMER

Intermittent shear flow including start-up flow and small oscillatory amplitude time sweep or stress relaxation aftercessation of shear flow was used to study the rheological behavior and internal structure of thermotropic liquid crystallinepolymer(TLCP).There are two kinds of intermittent shear flow:all start-up flows are in the same direction(intermittent flowforward:IFF)and start-up flows change their directions alternately(intermittent flow reversal:IFR).The results show thatthe stress of start-up flow of IFF and IFR in the test process is not superposed,indicating different changes of internalstructure of thermotropic LCP(TLCP).Two main factors affect structure changes in the experimental time scale.One relatesto long-term texture relaxation process,the other is an interchain reaction that becomes important after 30 min.The twofactors raise the stress of IFF,but express complex effects for the stress of IFR.The latter factor becomes very important atlong time annealing process.The relaxation behavior was also studied by the application of wide range relaxation spectrumcalculated from the combined dynamic modulus,which gave three characteristic relaxation times(0.3,10 and 600 s)ascribable to the relaxations of less-phase orientation,domain orientation,and domain deformation,respectively.The resultalso shows that the domain coalescence(texture relaxation),a long relaxation time,is a much slow process and lasts beyond2400 s of the test time.

SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF NEW SIDE-CHAIN LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMER WITH LATERALLY ATTACHED MESOGENS BY ESTER GROUP

New liquid crystalline monomer,2,5-bis[(4'-methoxyphenoxy)carbonyl]phenyl acrylate was successfully synthesized.Polyacrylate with laterally attached mesogens via ei;ter linkage was also derived.This polymer forms an enantiotropic liquid crystal phase while its monomer exhibits a metastable nematic phase with respect to the crystalline state.However,its liquid crystallinity is very low as compared to that of poly{2,5-bis[(4'-methoxyphenoxy)carbonyl]-styrene}.

STUDY ON CHIRAL LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMERS WITH BIPHENYLENE AND AZOBENZENE AS THE MESOGENS

Chiral liquid crystalline polymers containing biphenylene and azobenzene as the mesogensand S(-)-2-methyl-1-butanol as the chiral end group were synthesized and characterized by DSC,POM and X-ray diffraction. These polymers show crystalline or glassy liquid crystalline phase atroom temperature. Most polymers show smectic A or highly ordered smectic phases abovemelting temperature.

Co-rotational Oldroyd Fluid B Model for Spinning Flow of Liquid Crystalline Polymer

The relationship between the extensional viscosity and material parameters was studied through the analytical formulas of stress and extensional viscosity. The differential equations were solved to obtain the relationship between extensional viscosity and strain rates. The results obtained qualitatively agree with the experimental results. The study makes it practicable to simulate the rheologic behaviors of spinning flow of liquid crystalline polymer using co-rotational Oldroyd fluid B model.

Thermo-and photo-driven soft actuators based on crosslinked liquid crystalline polymers

Crosslinked liquid crystalline polymers（CLCPs） are a type of promising material that possess both the order of liquid crystals and the properties of polymer networks.The anisotropic deformation of the CLCPs takes place when the mesogens experience order to disorder change in response to external stimuli; therefore,they can be utilized to fabricate smart actuators,which have potential applications in artificial muscles,micro-optomechanical systems,optics,and energyharvesting fields.In this review the recent development of thermo-and photo-driven soft actuators based on the CLCPs are summarized.

Highly efficient room temperature phosphorescent liquid crystalline polymer optical waveguides for advanced optoelectronics

Active organic optical waveguide materials(OOWMs)incorporating room temperature phosphorescence(RTP)hold significant promise for diverse applications in photonic and optoelectronic devices.Despite this potential,realizing active RTP optical waveguides with large-sized ordered structures and minimal light loss remains a formidable challenge.To address this issue,we present a groundbreaking thermoplastic active OOWM with low light loss,leveraging room temperature phosphorescent liquid crystalline polymer(LCP).This innovative material can be easily synthesized through the copolymerization of phosphorescent and liquid crystalline monomers.The resulting RTP copolymer exhibits a nematic liquid crystal phase with a phosphorescence lifetime of approximately 0.15 ms and an afterglow duration of around 1 second.Leveraging the excellent processability of LCP,we successfully produce meter-scale fibers via melt spinning.These RTP LCP fibers,characterized by a high orientation of mesogens along the fiber axis,demonstrate superior light confinement and efficient light conduction compared to unoriented samples,resulting in a low optical loss coefficient of 0.13 dB/mm.Furthermore,the thermal responsiveness of the RTP LCP optical waveguide enables its use as a photo switch.This pioneering work paves the way for the design of new OOWMs tailored for advanced photonics and optoelectronics devices.

Mechanical and thermal properties of mesogen-jacketed liquid crystalline polymer/epoxy resin composites

The effects of mesogen-jacketed liquid crystalline polymer poly(dipropyl vinylterephthalate)(PDPVT) on the mechanical and thermal properties of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A(DGEBA) epoxy resin were investigated by impact test, tensile test and thermogravimetric analysis(TGA). The mechanism underlying the enhancement of mechanical properties of epoxy resin was studied using 1D wide-angle X-ray diffraction(WAXD) and scanning electron microscope(SEM). It was found that the mechanical properties of 1 wt%–5 wt% PDPVT/DGEBA composites were significantly improved compared to neat epoxy resin. Especially, the epoxy resin with 3 wt% PDPVT had the greatest increase in mechanical properties, with the impact strength, tensile strength and elongation while breaking increased by 87%, 59% and 174%, respectively. The increased mechanical strength was due to the fact that PDPVT maintained liquid crystalline phase in cured PDPVT/DGEBA composites, which would blunt the crack tip and prevent crack propagation. Moreover, PDPVT had slight effect on the thermal stability properties of epoxy resin.

Synthesis and Liquid Crystalline Behavior of Side Chain Liquid Crystalline Polymers Containing Triphenylene Discotic Mesogens with Different Length Flexible Spacers

A series of side chain liquid crystalline polymers （SCLCPs） containing triphenylene （Tp） units in the side chains, denoted as PMTS （without spacer） and PMTnS （n = 2, 3, 4, 6, which is the number of the methylene units between the main chain and Tp moieties in the side chains）, with different lengths of spacers were synthesized through conventional free radical polymerization. The chemical structures of the monomers were confirmed by 1H/IaC-NMR, and the phase behaviors were examined by differential scanning calorimetry （DSC）, polarized optical microscopy （POM） and wide-angle X-ray diffraction （1D and 2D WAXD）. The molecular characterization of the polymers was performed with 1H-NMR, gel permeation chromatography （GPC） and thermogravimetric analysis （TGA）. The phase behaviors of the polymers have been investigated by a combination of techniques including DSC, POM, 1D and 2D WAXD. The results showed that the length of spacer has significant effects on the LC phase behavior of polymers. For PMTS and PMT2S, they displayed the columnar phase developed by the Tp moieties and the main chain as a whole due to the strong coupling effect of the Tp moieties and the main chain. For the PMT3S, PMT4S and PMT6S, they formed the symmetry hexagonal columnar （~n） phase owing to the decoupling effect. All of these indicated that the ＂decoupling effect＂ or ＂coupling effect＂ depended on the length of spacers, leading to the different LC phase formation mechanism.