Dynamics and Phase Transitions in Discotic and Calamitic Liquid Crystal Side-chain Polymers

Abstract

We have investigated the effect of structure modification of various discotic liquid crystal side chain polymers on their phase transitions and the resulting dynamics. This has resulted in a better understanding of the structure of the various nematic phases that can be formed, in particular giving rise to the identification of supramolecular thermotropic nematic phases where the fundamental units comprise assemblies of molecules. In addition we have examined the dynamics of field-induced order parameters in the isotropic phase of calamitic side chain polymers using dielectric relaxation spectroscopy and dynamic Kerr effect measurements.