Synthesis and properties of novel ferroelectric liquid crystalline polyacetylene derivatives

Novel liquid crystalline (LC) polyacetylene derivatives were synthesized to develop advanced LC conducting polymers with abilities of quick response t o an electric field used as an external farce. In practice we synthesized f erroelectric LC conducting polymers by introducing fluorine - containing ch iral LC groups into side chains of polyacetylenes. Phase transition behavio rs of these polymers were examined by differential scanning calorimeter and polarizing optical microscope. Mesophases as well as higher order structur es were evaluated with X-ray diffraction measurements. One of the polymers synthesized showed chiral nematic (N*) and chiral smectic C (S-C*) phases i n the heating and cooling processes. Observation of the S-C* phase allows u s to expect that the polymer should exhibit the ferroelectricity.