Polymer backbone crystallinity

Extensive studies on photochromic liquid-crystalline polymers have been made by Krongauz et al,2 Liquid-crystalline phases caused marked colour changes of poly(acrylates)98 and poly(siloxanes) substituted with spiropyran side chains upon UV irradiation owing to the aggregation of the photomerocyanines." In contrast, spirooxazines attached to liquid-crystalline polymer backbones displayed no aggregation and hence exhibited normal photochromism similar to that in solution. Fulgimides bound covalently to the side chains of nematic liquid-crystalline polymers also showed normal photochromism. 

The process yields a random, completely soluble polymer that shows no evidence of crystallinity of the polyethylene type down to —60°C. The polymer backbone is fully saturated, making it highly resistant to ozone attack even in the absence of antiozonant additives. The fluid resistance and low temperature properties of ethylene—acryUc elastomers are largely a function of the methyl acrylate to ethylene ratio. At higher methyl acrylate levels, the increased polarity augments resistance to hydrocarbon oils. However, the decreased chain mobiUty associated with this change results in less fiexibihty at low temperatures. 

Miscibility or compatibility provided by the compatibilizer or TLCP itself can affect the dimensional stability of in situ composites. The feature of ultra-high modulus and low viscosity melt of a nematic liquid crystalline polymer is suitable to induce greater dimensional stability in the composites. For drawn amorphous polymers, if the formed articles are exposed to sufficiently high temperatures, the extended chains are retracted by the entropic driving force of the stretched backbone, similar to the contraction of the stretched rubber network [61,62]. The presence of filler in the extruded articles significantly reduces the total extent of recoil. This can be attributed to the orientation of the fibers in the direction of drawing, which may act as a constraint for a certain amount of polymeric material surrounding them. 

Fluorinated poly(arylene edier)s are of special interest because of their low surface energy, remarkably low water absorption, and low dielectric constants. The bulk—CF3 group also serves to increase the free volume of the polymer, thereby improving various properties of polymers, including gas permeabilities and electrical insulating properties. The 6F group in the polymer backbone enhances polymer solubility (commonly referred to as the fluorine effect ) without forfeiture of die thermal stability. It also increases die glass transition temperature with concomitant decrease of crystallinity. 

Copolymerization e.g., of 1-butene or 1-hexene with ethylene, gives short-chain branching-, e.g., the branches contain three or five carbon atoms. The random location of the side-chains lowers the crystallinity and density. Long-chain branching refers to branches that are similar in length to the polymer backbone and this type occurs in polyethylene manufactured using the... 

Effect of the Polymer Backbone on the Thermotropic Behavior of Side-Chain Liquid Crystalline Polymers... 

Table I demonstrates that most liquid crystalline polymers lacking a spacer are formed from a flexible polyacrylate backbone. In contrast, the methyl substituent in polymethacrylate backbones both reduce main chain mobility and imposes additional steric barriers to mesophase formation. Therefore, successful liquid crystalline formation of polymethacrylates has been achieved only...

A review of the literature demonstrates some trends concerning the effect of the polymer backbone on the thermotropic behavior of side-chain liquid crystalline polymers. In comparison to low molar mass liquid crystals, the thermal stability of the mesophase increases upon polymerization (3,5,18). However, due to increasing viscosity as the degree of polymerization increases, structural rearrangements are slowed down. Perhaps this is why the isotropization temperature increases up to a critical value as the degree of polymerization increases (18). 

The attachment of mesogenic units to a polymer backbone via polymer analogous reactions is not a new concept, although they are much less frequently used than the polymerization of mesogen containing monomers. Liquid crystalline polyacrylates,... 

These results demonstrate that side-chain liquid crystalline polymers can be synthesized by polymer analogous reactions from theoretically any polymer backbone. When the polymer backbone is rigid, as in the case of PPO, a long spacer is required both to decrease the Tg of the parent polymer and to partially decouple the... 

Figure 8 Liquid-crystalline polymers in which the mesomorphic sequences occur in the side-chain (middle), in the chain backbone (top), or in both (bottom) ( combination structures).

Replacement of isopropylidene units in polymer backbones by units of hexafluoroisopropylidene is known to enhance solubility, water and oil repellency, thermal stability, and glass transition temperature (Tg) and to decrease crystallinity and water absorption.1... 

The solubility, water and oil repellency, thermal and thermooxidative stability, and Tg are enhanced and crystallinity and water absorption are decreased by introducing hexafluoroisopropylidene units, rather than units ofisopropylidene, into polymer backbone of aromatic condensation polymers. 

---