CONFORMATIONAL PROPERTIES FOR LINEAR NEMATIC AND CHOLESTERIC POLYMERSIN THE BEND ELASTIC CHAIN MODEL

The chain conformation of a liquid crystal polymer will be modified at the isotropic-anisotropic phase transition. Numerical results for the end-to-end distance [R(2)], and the radius of gyration [S-2] of the p olymer are presented using the bend elastic chain to model the polymer and including anisotropic mean field interactions. Anisotropy of conf ormation is calculated in nematics in the direction of preferred orien tation as given by the component [R(z)(2)]. In cholesterics, anisotrop y occurs perpendicular to the director as well and [R(x)(2)]not equal[ R(y)(2)]. The conformation is studied as a function of temperature, de gree of polymerization, and persistence length. In cholesterics, a mod ification of the conformation is also found at those values of paramet ers (temperature, molecular weight) for which the pitch diverges and c hanges sign.