Comparative effects of resorcinol and bisphenol A in non‐mesogenic units in liquid crystalline copolyesters containing a flexible spacer

Abstract

AbstractTwo series of copolyesters containing both linear mesogenic and nonlinear, non‐mesogenic aromatic ester units, each with a decamethylene spacer, were prepared and characterized for the effect of the non‐mesogenic unit and the spacer on the stability of the liquid crystalline (LC) phase. The mesogenic units were formed from the reaction of 2‐chlorohydroquinone and 1,10‐bis(4‐carboxy‐phenoxy)decane while the non‐mesogenic units were derived from reacting either resorcinol (Series I) or bisphenol A (Series II) with the latter monomer. The non‐mesogenic units containing bisphenol A were found to be more efficient in destroying liquid crystallinity of the copolyesters than were resorcinol‐containing units. However, the presence of a flexible spacer in each unit allowed the copolymers to form a nematic LC phase even at contents of the resorcinol and bisphenol A non‐mesogenic units as high as 70 and 60 mol %, respectively.