FERROELECTRIC BLOCK-COPOLYMERS

A block copolymer consisting of polystyrene and a side chain ferroelec tric liquid crystalline polymer was synthesized using polymer analogou s chemistry on a monodisperse poly(styrene-b-isoprene). Composition wa s adjusted to give lamellar microstructure after addition of the mesog enic side groups. If placed in an LC cell without orientation of domai ns, no ferroelectric response was observed. After shearing the thin fi lm, presumably due to alignment of lamellae, a bistable ferroelectric switching could be detected.