Abstract
We present a mean field theory to describe volume phase transitions of side-chain liquid crystalline gels. Three different uniaxial nematic phases (N(1), N(2), and N(3)) are defined by using orientational order parameter S(m) of side-chain liquid crystals (mesogens) and S(b) of backbone chains. We derive the free energy for the three nematic phases of side-chain liquid crystalline gels dissolved in isotropic solvents and calculate the swelling curve of the gel, the order parameters of a backbone chain and of side-chain liquid crystals, and the deformation of the gel as a function of temperature and an electric field. We find isotropic-nematic (N(1), N(2), and N(3)) and N(1)N(2) phase transitions of the gels, depending on the interaction between a backbone chain and a side-chain liquid crystal.
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