The mesophase structure of block copolymers with liquid crystalline and semicrystalline blocks

Abstract

The mesophase structure of block copolymers containing liquid crystalline polyacrylate and semicrystalline poly(tetrahydrofuran) or poly(cyclohexene oxide) blocks was investigated by X-ray diffraction of powder samples. All the block copolymers were microphase separated, and the number and the nature of the mesophases (smectic E, B and A) were governed by the structure of the liquid crystalline block. We determined the lattice parameters of the mesophases and calculated the electron density profiles ρ(z) along the smectic layer normal.