AGGREGATION STATE AND MESOPHASE STRUCTURE OF COMB-SHAPED POLYMERS WITH FLUOROCARBON SIDE GROUPS

The aggregation states of a series of comb-shaped polymers with perflu oroalkyl side chains were investigated. The main chains of the comb-sh aped polymers were poly(fumarate), poly(acrylate) and poly(methacrylat e). D.s.c. and w.a.x.d. measurements and p.o.m. observations over a wi de temperature range showed that all the poly(fluoroalkylfumarates) (P FAF) investigated were amorphous polymers, but poly(fluoroalkylacrylat e) (PFAA) and poly(fluoroalkylmethacrylate) (PFAMA) having a heptadeca fluorodecyl (C8F17) group in the side chain were in a mesomorphic stat e at room temperature. The type of mesophases can be most likely class ified as an ordered smectic liquid crystalline (LC) structure in the S mectic B (S(B)) modification for PFAA and an unordered smectic LC stru cture in the Smectic A (S(A)) modification for PFAMA. Increasing the m ain chain flexibility in going from poly(fumarate) to poly(methacrylat e) and poly(acrylate) enhances the probability of ordered structure fo rmation.