Synthesis and structure of liquid-crystalline side-chain polymers

Abstract

The synthesis, structure and some properties of thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers with side mesogenic groups are discussed. Approaches towards the synthesis of such systems are presented, as well as the data revealing the relationship between the molecular structure of the liquid-crystalline polymers and the type of mesophase formed. The structure of smectic, nematic and cholesteric mesophases as well as models of chain packing in them are analyzed. The possibility to affect the structure of a liquid-crystalline polymer by an electric field is demonstrated. © 1985 IUPAC