IR spectroscopic study of the conformational properties of polymers with mesogenic side groups

Abstract

The authors have studied the conformational changes in polymers with mesogenic side groups — polymethacryloyloxyphenyl esters of p-n-alkoxybenzoic acids in the temperature interval including glassy, liquid crystalline and isotropic states. Conformational changes are observed in the glassy state 40–80°C before the transition to the liquid crystalline phase, depending on the length of the alkyl chain, and are accompanied by the appearance of homeotropic orientation in the polymer films.