LIQUID-CRYSTAL ELASTOMERS - INFLUENCE OF THE ORIENTATIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE CROSS-LINKS ON THE PHASE-BEHAVIOR AND REORIENTATION PROCESSES

The influence of the crosslinking conditions on the phase behaviour an d reorientation processes of nematic elastomers is investigated. Two s eries of elastomers with various network anisotropies crosslinked eith er in the nematic or in the isotropic state were investigated by means of IR-dichroism and stress-strain measurements. The experimental resu lts clearly demonstrate that for nematic elastomers not only the coupl ing between the network anisotropy and the state of order has to be co nsidered. It is shown that the influence of the crosslinks and their o rientational distribution on the phase behaviour, the state of order a s well as on director reorientation processes cannot be neglected.