Phase separation kinetics of an SA liquid crystal in a reactive epoxy-amine PDLC system: an X-ray diffraction study

Abstract

A Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal composite based upon a smectic liquid crystal and reactive crosslinkable epoxide-amine monomers was studied. The composite material is obtained by a polymerization induced phase separation process. The polymerization and the phase separation kinetics are both monitored. The polymerization induced phase separation is detected and quantitatively monitored by X-ray diffraction. The normalized X-ray intensity is used to calculate a phase separation rate and to define the phase separation kinetics which is compared to the polymerization rate and to the polymerization kinetics. The rate difference accounts for changes in morphology.