Abstract
A series of copolymers, comprising a chiral mesogen (( S)-(−)-4-methoxyphenyl-4′-(2-acryloyloxy)propoxy benzoate) and a non-chiral mesogenic comonomer (4-cyanophenyl-4′-(6-acryloyloxy) benzoate), was prepared, and each sample characterized physically and optically. The copolymers were found to exhibit a chiral nematic phase when the mole fraction of the chiral monomer in the copolymer was greater than 0.2. Films of these samples selectively reflect light of wavelength λ R, which is inversely proportional to the mole fraction of chiral monomer in the copolymer. The values of λ R were determined at a fixed reduced temperature T ∗ by differential absorption spectrometry and by specular reflectivity measurements. Plots of (1/λ R) against mole fraction of the chiral mesogen in the copolymer gave values of the helical twisting power of 5 × 10 −3 mm −1, which is lower than observed for cholesterol-containing polymers but comparable to or greater than values reported for side-chain liquid crystal polymers with alternative chiral centres.
Published Version
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