PREPARATION AND THERMAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SOME NEW LIQUID-CRYSTALLINE COPOLYMERS INVOLVING A SPACER UNIT BASED ON VINYLACETIC ACID

Three series of new liquid crystalline (LC) copolymers having a polysi loxane backbone and two different mesogenic pendant groups, one involv ing a vinylacetic acid moiety in the spacer, have been synthesised. Th ermal characterisation of these polymers has allowed comparison of beh aviour between a number of different copolymer systems. It was found t hat increasing amounts of the vinylacetic acid moiety lowered the clea ring points (T-i) of the copolymers in an almost linear fashion whilst also inhibiting crystallinity in these polymers.