A DSC-STUDY OF DONOR ACCEPTOR SIDE-CHAIN POLYMERS WITH FLOURINATED TAPER-SHAPED TAILS/

It is shown that insertion in methacrylic polymers of bulky electron d onor/acceptor side-groups with taper-shaped flourinated tails promotes a self-organization of the respective sidechain polymers due to the s pace demands of the bulky D/A side-groups, leading to a columnar hexag onal mesophase. The presence of an Lc-phase is evidenced by DSC and id entified by Xray analysis. The orientation in the respective copolymer s and polymer blends is additionally improved by the CT-interaction be tween the D/A side-groups. An increased packing effect due to this CT- orientation effect is evidenced in DSC by an increase of the respectiv e transition temperatures. CT-interaction is responsible as well for a preferential polymerization of monomeric D/A-complexes leading to cop olymers of alternating structures and for a ''zip''-like arrangement a long the main chain of the A/D-complexes between the interacting side- groups in polymer blends. Formation of mesophases is even observed in CT-interacting blends between the Lc-D/A side-chain polymethacrylates and the respective amorphous D/A sidechain polysiloxanes.