Side-chain functionalized liquid crystalline polymers and blends, 5 - Order parameter for hydrogen-bonded blends of the functionalized liquid crystalline polymer with a low molecular weight dopant

A hydrogen-bonded blend based on comb-shaped functionalized LC copolymers c ontaining alkyloxy-4-hydroxybenzoic acid fragments (proton donor) and a low molecular weight dopant 4-(4-pyridyloyl)methoxybenzoate-d(4) (proton accep tor) was obtained, The temperature dependence of the order parameter S, the birefringence Deltan and the bend elastic constant K-3 of the LC copolymer and blend were studied by the H-2 NMR spectroscopy and the Freedericksz me thod of threshold transitions in a magnetic field. The formation of the ble nd leads to a decrease of the order parameter S of the functionalized LC co polymer. The essential difference in the order parameter S of the mesogenic groups of the LC copolymers and the dopant molecules was established.