THE PECULIARITY OF SIDE-CHAIN LIQUID-CRYSTALLINE POLYMERS WITH MESOGENIC UNITS ATTACHED DIRECTLY IN A SIDE-ON MODE

The peculiarity of a series of side-chain liquid crystalline polymers with mesogenic units attached directly in a side-on mode was studied b y using nuclear magnetic resonance, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, pola rizing microscopy and molecular simulation techniques. It was found th at in special cases molecules of side-chain liquid crystalline polymer s may become rather rigid as a whole and take the more extended confor mation, like a rod with the main chain approximately parallel to the r od axis. The side-chain mesogens are packed around the main chain with their axes almost perpendicular to the main chain. These side-chain p olymers may exhibit behaviour similar to that of main-chain polymers. The effect of interaction between main-chain and side-chain mesogens o n the mesophase formation of side-chain polymers and the influence of mesogen location in molecules on the behaviour of liquid crystalline p olymers are discussed.