Synthesis and Mesophase Properties of a Series of Chiral Rod-Like Polysiloxanes

Abstract:

Cholesteric liquid crystals elastomers have been extensively studied during the last two decades. They showed Bragg-reflection in visible, Infrared and even UV wavelength Range and a particular circular polarization. Their special helical structure and the adjustment of pitch made them suitable for using as optical thin films. In this study, two kinds of mesogenic monomers undecylenate cholesteryl ester (M₁) and p-phenylene di-4-(allyloxyl) benzoate (M₂) were synthesized. Then the two monomers were fixed onto poly- (methylsiloxane) backbone by grafting polymerization using Dicyclopentadienylplatinum (II) Chloride as catalyst. A series of side-chain polymers with different monomer densities produced by the reaction of hydropolysiloxane and M₁/M₂ with different molar ratios were obtained. The synthesized polymers were characterized by IR, H1NMR and GPC. The mesophases were characterized by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing optical microscopy (POM).

• Periodical: Solid State Phenomena (Volumes 181-182)
• Pages: 123-126
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.181-182.123
• Online since: November 2011
• Authors: Hao Wu, Chun Xiu Zhang, Jia Ling Pu, Ya Nan Li, Ming Xia Zhang, Gui Sen Fang
• Keywords: Chiral Rod-Like Liquid Crystals, Mesophase, Polysiloxane, Synthesis

References

[1] D. J. Broer, J. Lub and G. N. Mol: Nature Vol. 378 (1995), p.467.

[2] D. J. Broer and I. Heynderickx: Macromolecules Vol. 23 (1990), p.2474.

[3] J. Lub, W. P. M. Nijssen, R.T. Wegh, J. P. A. Vogels and A. Ferrer: Adv. Funct. Mater. Vol. 15 (2005), p. (1961).

[4] G. S. Ginsburg, D. M. Small and J. A. Hamilton: Biochemistry Vol. 21 (1982), p.6857.

[5] H. Finkelmann, H. Ringsdorf and J. H. Wendorff: Makromol. Chem. Vol. 179 (1978), p.273.

[6] N. Tamaoki: Adv. Mater. Vol. 13 (2001), p.1135.