This paper describes the synthesis of new side chain nematic liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) by a one-step hydrosilication reaction. The phase behavior and mesomorphism were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing optical microscopy (POM), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The effect of the content of crosslinking units on the phase behavior and mesomorphism of elastomers P1 – P8 was discussed. The nematic LCEs exhibit elasticity, reversible phase transitions, and nematic thread texture. The experimental results demonstrate that the glass transition temperature and isotropic temperature of nematic LCEs decreased with increasing the content of crosslinking unit.
The synthesis of new side chain cholesteric liquid crystalline elastomers (ChLCEs) containing the cholesteric monomer M and the flexible non-mesogenic crosslinking agent C, is described. The selective reflection of light for M was characterized with UV/Visible/NIR. The phase behavior and mesomorphism were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing optical microscopy (POM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The effect of the content of crosslinking units on the phase behavior and mesomorphism of elastomers P1– P8is discussed. The ChLCEs exhibit elasticity, reversible phase transitions, and cholesteric Grandjean texture. The experimental results demonstrate that the glass transition temperature and isotropic temperature of ChLCEs decrease with increasing the content of crosslinking unit, but the cholesteric phase is not disturbed.
Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methacrylate liquid crystal monomer M (4-((4-(2-(acryloyloxy)ethoxy)benzoyl)oxy)phenyl 4-propylbenzoate) was carried out using CuBr/PMDETA complex as catalyst and 2-bromo-2-methyl-propionic acid ester as initiator. The obtained monomer M and polymer P was characterized via infrared spectroscopy and1H NMR. The phase behavior and mesomorphism were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing optical microscopy (POM), and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The molecular weight and the structure of the polymers were identified with gel permeation chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance.
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