THERMOTROPIC AND LYOTROPIC MESOPHASE FORMATION OF POLY(ETHYLENE OXIDE) SUBSTITUTED ROD-COIL OLIGOMER

The synthesis and characterization of the rod-coil oligomer consisting of a molecular rod and a poly(ethylene oxide) with degree of polymeri zation of 12 (5) are presented. The rod-coil oligomer 5 shows a crysta lline phase with microphase segregation. However, the complexation of the rod-coil oligomer 5 with LiCF3SO3 induces a thermotropic smectic l iquid crystalline phase. In aqueous solution, the rod-coil oligomer 5 shows various lyotropic mesophases such as lamellar, cubic and cylindr ical micellar mesophases, depending on the oligomer concentration. The se results characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and opti cal polarized microscopy are described.