Optical and hydrodynamic properties of a comb-shaped mesogenic polymer and its copolymer

Abstract

The hydrodynamic (translational diffusion, sedimentation, and intrinsic viscosity) and optical (flow birefringence) properties of a comb-like mesogenic homopolymer and its copolymer are studied. Equations are obtained connecting the diffusion and viscosity with the MM. The equilibrium rigidity of the homopolymer and copolymer in different solvents is determined: the value of the Kuhn segment of the whole polymer is A=45 A ̊ in tetrachloromethane and A=55 A ̊ in dioxane as against A=40 A ̊ in tetrachloromethane and A=58 A ̊ in benzene for the copolymer respectively. The optical anisotropy of the copolymer molecule reflects the high (intra-molecular) orientational order and the fact that it is essentially dependent on the concentration of the mesogenic groups and their location relative to the molecule backbone.