THERMAL-PROPERTIES OF SIDE-CHAIN TYPE LIQUID-CRYSTALLINE COPOLYMER COMPOSED OF A MESOGENIC MONOMER AND NONMESOGENIC CHIRAL MONOMER

Copolymers were synthesized by the copolymerization of a mesogenic mon omer containing a flexible spacer with a chiral monomer. Menthol and a -methyl-l-butanol were used as chiral moieties. Smectic or nematic pha ses were exhibited in the copolymers containing a mesogenic group frac tion above 40-50 mol%. The mesogenic group fraction in the copolymers exhibiting a smectic phase was dependent on the chemical structure of the chiral moiety. The induced cholesteric phase was not observed for the copolymers. The mesomorphic temperature range of the copolymers wa s affected by the chemical structure of the chiral moiety. The mesomor phic temperature range for the copolymers with the 2-methyl butyl grou p was wider than that of the copolymer containing the menthol derivati ve.