Chiral liquid-crystalline block copolymers based on polyether and mesogenic polyacrylate blocks

Abstract

Abstract New liquid-crystalline ABA triblock copolymers containing crystalline polytetrahydrofuran (A) and chiral side-chain liquid-crystalline (B) blocks were prepared, and their phase behavior was studied. Block B was one of different polyacrylates containing the biphenyl mesogen variously spaced from the backbone and substituted with chiral groups, that are known to exhibit an electroclinic response in the chiral smectic A phase of the relevant homopolymers. The copolymers appeared to be phase-separated and formed mesophases characterized by lower transition temperature and enthalpy than those of the corresponding polyacrylate homopolymers.