PREPARATION OF ORDERED AND CROSS-LINKED FILMS FROM LIQUID-CRYSTALLINEVINYL ETHER MONOMERS

Thermally stable ordered films were prepared by in-situ photopolymeriz ation of an oriented monomer mixture, consisting of mesogenic monofunc tional and bifunctional vinyl ethers. Orientation was achieved by a si mple surface treatment, using an unidirectionally rubbed polyimide fil m. The films restored their orientation when cooled down from temperat ures of 200-degrees=C. Highly ordered densely crosslinked films have b een prepared by polymerization of bifunctional mesogenic vinyl ether m onomers. Polymerization from various monomer phases resulted in LC pol ymer network films with different molecular organizations. It was show n that films with nematic, smectic A and smectic B structures were obt ained, the latter having a very high degree of orientation. The films were analyzed with small-angle X-ray scattering, polarized light micro scopy and infrared-dichroism measurements.