Abstract
We have synthesized the A-B block copolymer with polystyrene as A segment and side-chain liquid crystal (LC) polymer as B segment by a sequential living polymerization. The copolymers were successfully prepared with quantitative yields, possessing the predictable Mn values, compositions, and narrow molecular weight distributions. The thermotropic phase behavior and structures were examined for nine copolymers with the fraction of segments around 50 w% and with the various molecular weights ranged from 8000 to 34000. All the polymers exhibit the well-defined lamellar type of segregation and the side-chain LC segment in the microdomain forms crystal, smectic A (SA) and isotropic phases with increasing temperature. The lamellar segregation is maintained over the whole temperature region from crystal to isotropic phases, and the crystal and SA structures are formed with a preferential orientation to the microdomain interface such that the mesogenic side-chain groups lie parallel to the interface. The lamellar thickness depends on the SA temperatures. It gradually decreases from the value of crystal phase to that of isotropic phase. The reduction is around 20–25%, which can be explained in terms of the change in main-chain conformation of the LC block.
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Yamada, M., Iguchi, T., Hirao, A. et al. Side-Chain Liquid Crystal Block Copolymers with Well-Defined Structures Prepared by Living Anionic Polymerization I. Thermotropic Phase Behavior and Structures of Liquid Crystal Segment in Lamellar Type of Microphase Domain. Polym J 30, 23–30 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1295/polymj.30.23
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1295/polymj.30.23