Polymer Liquid Crystals

List of Contributors

Preface


1 Relationship between Chemical Structure and Properties for Low Molecular Weight Liquid Crystals

I. Introduction

II. Structural Considerations of Low MW LC Systems

References


2 Synthesis, Structure, and Properties of Liquid Crystalline Side Chain Polymers

I. Introduction

II. Synthesis of Polymers Having Mesogenic Side Chains

III. Influence of the Chemical Constitution on the Type of Mesophase Formed

IV. Liquid Crystalline Elastomers

References


3 Rigid and Semirigid Chain Polymeric Mesogens

I. Generalities

II. Undiluted Systems

III. Diluted Systems

References


4 Molecular Theories of Liquid Crystals

I. Introduction

II. Lattice Theory for Noninteracting Rods

III. Orientation-Dependent Interactions

IV. Summary and Conclusions

References


5 Mechanical Properties of Nematic Polymers

I. General Aims

II. Rigid Rods in Isotropic Solvents

III. Dilute Rods in Nematic Solvents

IV. Semirigid Molecules: The Conformation Problem

V. Semirigid Molecules: Mechanical Properties

Appendix. Shape Fluctuation of a Semirigid Chain in a Nematic Matrix of Small Molecules

References


6 Macroscopic Phenomena in Nematic Polymers

I. Introduction

II. Statics

III. Dynamics

IV. Conclusion

References


7 Techniques for the Evaluation of Material Constants in Lyotropic Systems and the Study of Pretransitional Phenomena in Polymeric Liquid Crystals

I. Introduction

II. Lyotropic Polymer Liquid Crystals

III. Elastic Moduli of Liquid Crystals: k11, k22, k33

IV. Dependence of the kii on Molecular Factors: Theoretical Considerations, Large Molecules

V. Experimental Methods

VI. Progress to Date with Poly(benzyl glutamate) Liquid Crystals

References


8 Instabilities in Low Molecular Weight Nematic and Cholesteric Liquid Crystals

I. Introduction

II. Electrohydrodynamic Instabilities in Nematics

III. Two Illustrative Experiments on Nematic Flow

IV. Hydrodynamic Instabilities in Nematics

V. Thermal Instabilities in Nematics

VI. Instabilities in Cholesteric Liquid Crystals

Appendix. Material Constants for MBBA and HBAB

References


9 Rheo-Optical Studies of Polymer Liquid Crystalline Solutions

I. Introduction

II. Structure of Solutions of Liquid Crystalline Polymers

III. Experimental Methods

IV. General Optical Considerations for the Polarized Light Method

V. Processes of Structure Formation in Cholesteric Liquid Crystals Studied by Spectrophotometric Methods

VI. Deformation and Flow Mechanisms for Some Typical Polymeric Liquid Crystalline Solutions

VII. Concluding Remarks

References


10 The Effects of External Fields on Polymeric Nematic and Cholesteric Mesophases

I. Introduction

II. Magnetic-Field Effects

III. Electric-Field Effects

IV. Viscous Flow

References


11 Liquid Crystal Display Devices

I. Introduction

II. Design of Displays

III. Optimization of Displays

IV. Back Light Layout

References


12 Recent Advances in High-Strength Fibers and Composites

I. Introduction

II. Role of the Liquid Crystalline State

III. High-Modulus, High-Strength Fibers from Thermotropic Polymers

IV. Ultrahigh-Modulus, Ultrahigh-Strength Fibers by Solution Spinning and Drawing

V. Molecular Reinforcement

References

Index