Phase behaviour of polymer-liquid crystal and polymer-polymer blends

DSC and optical microscopy were used to study the phase behaviour of blends of two members of a group of side-chain cholesteric liquid crystalline sil icones. One of these siloxane-based polymers forms a single blue phase. The experimental phase diagram is constructed and then compared to the case in which one of the polymers is replaced by a chiral nematic liquid crystal, which also forms a blue phase.