Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) was used to study:the thermal transit
ions in an organic; liquid-crystalline polyester. A crystal-to-nematic
and a nematic-to-isotropic transition were detected, as was a lower t
emperature transition, presumably a crystal-to-crystal transition. The
probe molecules used were nonsolvents of the polyester, which was ins
oluble in normal organic solvents. The IGC retention diagram, or a plo
t of the apparent weight fraction activity coefficient vs inverse temp
erature, could be used for the determination of the transition tempera
ture.