Mesomorphous phases

Balmbra R R, Clunie J S and Godman J F 1969 Cubic mesomorphic phases Nature 222 1159-60... 

The mesomorphous phase, also called an intermediate phase or a mesophase, is formed by molecules occurring in surface layers of the crystallites. It can be assumed that the mesophase is made up largely by regularly adjacent reentry folds. However, it cannot be excluded that the mesophase is also composed of some irregular chain folds, which are characterized by a long length and run near the crystal face in the direction perpendicular to the microfibril axis. 

The quantitative proportion of the mesomorphous phase in PET fibers is strongly diversified and depends on the conditions of fiber manufacture. According to Lindner fl7], it is estimated to be in the range 0.21-0.36. For poorly stretched fibers (below 300% of draw ratio), the mesophase constitutes almost exclusively an ordered part of the polymer in the fiber. With an increase in the draw ratio of the fiber, the proportion of the mesophase in the whole fiber mass increases, mainly at the cost of the amorphous phase. It is assumed that the mesophase constitutes about 0.5 of the amorphous phase mass for poorly stretched fibers and about 1.2 of this mass for highly stretched fibers. 

The synthesis of well defined block copolymers exhibiting controlled molecular weight, low compositional heterogeneity and narrow molecular weight distribution is a major success of anionic polymerization techniques 6,7,14-111,112,113). Blocks of unlike chemical nature have a general tendency to undergo microphase separation, thereby producing mesomorphic phases. Block copolymers therefore exhibit unique properties, that prompted numerous studies and applications (e.g. thermoplastic elastomers). 

FB Rosevear. Liquid crystals The mesomorphic phases of surfactant compositions. J Soc Cosmet Chem 19 581, 1968. 

Further work will be related to the development of curable systems as well as to a broader examination of the phase morphologies in the solid state. In addition, the dependence ofthe technologically relevant selectivity in gas permeation on the type and size of the resulting mesomorphous phases is currently under investigation. 

Mesitylene, production from acetone, 1 164 Mesityl oxide, 14 589-590 characteristics of, 16 337 hydrogenation, 16 337-338 hydrogen peroxide treatment of, 16 338 Z-menthol from, 24 520 production of, 16 336-337 production from acetone, 1 164, 174 Mesogenic diols, 25 460 Mesogenic molecules, solids of, 15 82 Mesogens, 24 53, 54 Mesomixing, 16 683 Mesomorphic behavior, 24 53-54 Mesomorphic phase transitions, 15 102 Mesomorphism, 15 81. See also Liquid crystalline materials Mesophase pitch-based carbon fiber, 26 734-735... 

Bulk Properties. Because of viscosity and stability requirements for product manufacture and processing, the appearance of mesomorphous phases in mixtures with water is very important. In the case of dodecyl monoglycol ether sulfate and dodecyl sulfate, a highly viscous middle phase is observed up to a concentration of 80 %. For the corresponding diglycol ether compound, however, the middle phase is present only in a concentration range up to about 65 % ( ). Above this concentration, a lamellar neat phase exists. 

The melting point of the L mesomorphic phase of alkyl ether nonionic surfactants taken from the results of Mitchell et (1983) showing the influence of alkyl and hydrophilic (EO) chain lengths. 

Liquid crystals are classified into lyotropic and thermotropic crystals depending on the way in which the mesomorphic phase is generated. Lyotropic liquid-crystalline solvents are formed by addition of controlled amounts of polar solvents to certain amphiphilic compounds. Thermotropic liquid-crystalline solvents, simply obtained by temperature variations, can be further classified into nematic, smectic, and cholesteric solvents depending on the type of molecular order present. Liquid crystals are usually excellent solvents for other organic compounds. Nonmesomorphic solute molecules may be incorporated into liquid-crystalline solvents without destruction of the order prevailing in the liquid-crystalline matrix (Michl and Thulstrup, 1986). Ordered solvent phases such as liquid crystals have also been used as reaction media, particularly for photochemical reactions (Nakano and Hirata, 1982). 

Liquid crystal As the name implies, this is an ordered yet fluid phase in which water, surfactant, and solubilizate combine to form anisotropic, organized structures. These are called lyotropic mesomorphic phases, as opposed to thermotropic mesomorphs, which form when certain organic crystals are heated. 

Figure 1. Proton magnetic resonance spectra of dimyri-stoyl-m -phosphatidylethanolamine at different temperatures, showing onset of mesomorphic phase (9)...

The transition temperature at which this change from a crystalline to a mesomorphic phase occurs varies with the chain length and with the unsaturation. The effect of water is to lower this transition tempera-... 

An exception to the rule that lowering the Iciiiperaiure cutises transitions to phases with increased order sometimes occurs for polar compounds w hich form the smectic l. phase (a layered structure formed by molecular dimers). Decreasing the temperature cutises u transition front nematic to smectic. 1,.,. but a further lowering of the temperature produces J transition back to the nematic phase tcalled the reentrant nematic phase). Electric or magnetic fields also may induce mesomorphic phase transitions. 

As pointed out in Chapter 1, supramolecular chemistry comprises two broad, partially overlapping areas covering on the one hand the oligomolecular supermolecules and, on the other, the supramolecular assemblies, extended polymolecular arrays presenting a more or less well-defined microscopic organisation and macroscopic features depending on their nature (layers, films, membranes, vesicles, micelles, microemulsions, gels, mesomorphic phases, solid state species, etc.). 

Table I. Apparent Heats of Aggregation in Micellar Solutions and Mesomorphic Phases in the System Sodium Octanoate—ft-Pentanol—Water (14,15)...

Solid-state NMR experiments showed the dynamic nature of the disordering. It has been possible to monitor the type and the changes of segmental motions within the mesomorphic phase and at the corresponding phase transitions for typical examples. The thermal... 

It is intriguing that even some flexible siloxane polymers form mesomorphic (liquid-crystalline) phases.34 139-166 Some illustrative data are given in Table 4.2. Both poly(diethylsiloxane) and pol y(di-n-propylsiloxane) show two crystalline modifications as well as a mesomorphic phase. (The other major class of semi-inorganic polymers, the polyphosphazenes, are also relatively flexible, and show similarly interesting behavior.)10167... 

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