Renaissance of Liquid Crystal Polymers

Abstract

The paper consists of three interconnected parts. In the first part, the historical information about the initial works on the development of approaches for the creation of liquid crystal (LC) polymers is briefly considered. The results of the fundamental properties study of polymers carried out in the Laboratory of chemical transformations of polymers of the Chemistry Department at Moscow State University are presented. These polymers have been used as convenient matrices for creating of comb-shaped polymers by attaching mesogenic groups to their side branches (this is so-called a spacer concept). In the second part, some problems related to the priority of the original researchers worked in the field of LC polymers are analyzed in detail. The third part lists some promising areas that are developing in our LC Lab. Recent works relate to creation, study and possible application of new photo-and mechano-controlled LC polymers, di-and tri-block copolymers, as well as their composites with quantum dots for various applications in optics, optoelectronics and holography.