L. Guadagno et al., Solvent-induced ordering phenomena in a segmented-chain mesogenic polymer with a flexible substituent at the rigid moiety, J MACR S PH, B38(3), 1999, pp. 177-188
Solvent-induced ordering phenomena of a liquid-crystalline polymer, charact
erized by having moderate flexibility in the main chain and a highly flexib
le lateral substituent, was investigated in different liquids. Diffusion an
d sorption were measured at room temperature. The solvent-uptake kinetics w
ere found either Fickian or anomalous, depending on the solubility paramete
r of the liquids. The curve of weight uptake of the different solvents, rep
orted as a function of the solubility parameters, shows a maximum correspon
dent to chloroform. Liquids with low solubility parameter, as pentane and n
-hexane, do not induce any change in the structural organization of the sta
rting sample, whereas ordering phenomena are evident for all the solvents t
hat strongly interact with the liquid crystalline sample.