Conformation and optical anisotropy of short chain molecules with mesogenic side groups

Abstract

Translational diffusion, sedimentation, characteristic viscosities and flow birefringence of samples and fractions of new comb-like polymers-series of alkoxyphenylacryloyloxybenzoates-have been investigated. Relations have been obtained linking the molecular mass with viscosity, diffusion and sedimentation for polymethyl-phenyl- n-acryloylbenzoate. The Kuhn segments and the hydrodynamic diameter of the molecules have been determined. The value of the optical anisotropy of the segment of the macromolecules studied depends on the length of the chain side group and reflects the high intramolecular orientation order determined by the interaction of the mesogenic side groups.