ISSN:
1572-8951
Keywords:
Liquid crystal polymer
;
side-chain co-oligomer
;
X-ray diffraction
;
calorimetry
;
polarizing microscopy
;
phase transition
;
smectic phase
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
Abstract We recently showed that a side-chain industrial co-oligosiloxane presents a quenchable enlarged blue phase behaviour at the cholesteric-isotropic phase transition. In this paper, we present the results of a structural study based on X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and optical measurements. In particular, the smectic A organisation is demonstrated in the lower temperature domain, which was hitherto understood as a cholesteric phase. A structural model for this phase is proposed on the basis of the analysis of the anisotropic scattering of stretched fibers. Our results also suggest that the observed glass transition is indeed a rather complex phenomenon, which seems to involve not only the freezing of the main chains, but also smectic correlations at the side-chain level. Moreover, the calorimetric study indicates that, notwithstanding the conservation of the processed film's optical properties, low kinetic reorganisations occur at room temperature.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00999708
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