Characterization of the chain stiffness for a mesogen‐jacketed liquid crystal polymer: Poly{2,5‐BIS [(4‐Methoxybenzoyl)Oxy] Styrene}

Abstract

AbstractNarrow‐distribution fractions of poly{2,5‐bis[(4‐methoxybenzoyl)oxy] styrene} ranging in weight‐average molecular weight Mw from 1.1 × 105 to 1.96 × 106 were studied by static light scattering and viscometry in THF at 25 ° C. From Mw and the intrinsic viscosity [ η ] Mark‐Houwink‐Sakurada equation was formulated with K=7.54×10−4 and ≈=0.82. The relation between [ η ] and Mw was analyzed according to Bohdanecky for the Kratky‐Porod wormlike chain, the ranges of the mass per unit length ML and the persistence length q were estimated as 35 nm−1 M<L42 nm<−1 and 11.5 nm <13.5 nm, respectively. The values of ≈ and q indicate that the polymer, though a liquid crystal polymer of the side‐chain type, has wormlike chain in dilute solution as most main chain liquid crystal polymers.