Star polymer liquid-crystal

Note 3 A MCPLC with cross-shaped mesogenic groups (b or g) is known as a cruciform (or star) polymer liquid crystal. 

Fig. 5.20. Some simple topologies of polymer liquid crystals (PLCs) derived from calamltic and discotic mesogenic cores main-chain PLCs, copolymers with core and flexible spacer alternating side-chain PLCs with mesogenic cores attached by flexible spacers to the main chain of a conventional polymer and dendritic (or star-shaped) stmctures with mesogens emanating from a central core via flexible spacers.

Fig. 5.13. Topology of lyotropic star-block polymer liquid crystals.

Monomers of die type Aa B. are used in step-growth polymerization to produce a variety of polymer architectures, including stars, dendrimers, and hyperbranched polymers.26 28 The unique architecture imparts properties distinctly different from linear polymers of similar compositions. These materials are finding applications in areas such as resin modification, micelles and encapsulation, liquid crystals, pharmaceuticals, catalysis, electroluminescent devices, and analytical chemistry. 

The living ROMP reactions of norbomene and norbomene derivatives have been used to make a variety of polymers possessing unusual properties. Copolymerization of selected fimctionalized norbomenes with norbomene has been used to synthesize star polymers and side-chain liquid crystal polymers. This chemistry has also resulted in the preparation of phase separated block copolymers that contain uniform sized metal or semiconductor nanoparticles. The... 

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