Synthesis and characterization of side chain cholesteric liquid crystalline elastomers derived from chiral bisolefinic crosslinking units

Abstract

In this work we prepared a nematic monomer (4′‐allyloxybiphenyl 4′‐ethoxybenzoate, M1 ), a chiral crosslinking agent (isosorbide 4‐allyloxybenzoyl bisate, M2 ) and a series of new side chain cholesteric liquid crystalline elastomers derived from M1 and M2 . The chemical structures of the monomers and polymers were confirmed by FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The mesomorphic properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, polarizing optical microscopy and X‐ray diffraction. The effect of the content of the crosslinking unit on phase behaviour of the elastomers is discussed. Polymer P1 showed a nematic phase, P2 –P7 showed a cholesteric phase; P6 formed a blue Grandjean texture over a broad temperature range 145–209.6°C, with no changed on the cooling. Polymers P4 –P7 , with more than 6 mol % of chiral crosslinking agent, gave rise to selective reflection. Elastomers containing less than 15 mol % of the crosslinking units displayed elasticity, reversible phase transition with wide mesophase temperature ranges, and high thermal stability. Experimental results demonstrated that, with increasing content of crosslinking agent, the glass transition temperatures first fell and then increased; the isotropization temperatures and mesophase temperature ranges decreased.