Thermotropism

Other interesting Langmuir monolayer systems include spread thermotropic liquid crystals where a foam structure forms on expansion from a collapsed state [23]. Spread monolayers of clay dispersions form a layer of overlapping clay platelets that can be subsequently deposited onto solid substrates [24]. 

A unique but widely studied polymeric LB system are the polyglutamates or hairy rod polymers. These polymers have a hydrophilic rod of helical polyglutamate with hydrophobic alkyl side chains. Their rigidity and amphiphilic-ity imparts order (lyotropic and thermotropic) in LB films and they take on a F-type stmcture such as that illustrated in Fig. XV-16 [182]. These LB films are useful for waveguides, photoresists, and chemical sensors. LB films of these polymers are very thermally stable, as was indicated by the lack of interdiffusion up to 414 K shown by neutron reflectivity of alternating hydrogenated and deuterated layers [183]. AFM measurements have shown that these films take on different stmctures if directly deposited onto silicon or onto LB films of cadmium arachidate [184]. 

Ruths M, Steinberg S and Israelachvili J N 1996 Effects of confinement and shear on the properties of thin films of thermotropic liquid crystal Langmuir M 6637-50... 

Liquid crystal phases can be divided into two classes. Thermotropic liquid crystal phases are fonned by pure... 

Hamley I W, Garnett S, Luckhurst G R, Roskilly S J, Pedersen J S, Richardson R M and Seddon J M 1996 Orientational ordering in the nematic phase of a thermotropic liquid crystal A small angle neutron scattering study J. Chem. Phys. 104 10 046-54... 

Vertogen G and de Jeu W H 1988 Thermotropic Liquid Crystals, Fundamentals (Heidelberg Springer). 

In the late 1980s, new fully aromatic polyester fibers were iatroduced for use ia composites and stmctural materials (18,19). In general, these materials are thermotropic Hquid crystal polymers that are melt-processible to give fibers with tensile properties and temperature resistance considerably higher than conventional polyester textile fibers. Vectran (Hoechst-Celanese and Kuraray) is a thermotropic Hquid crystal aromatic copolyester fiber composed of -hydroxyben2oic acid [99-96-7] and 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid. Other fully aromatic polyester fiber composites have been iatroduced under various tradenames (19). 

Rigid-rod polymers are often Hquid crystalline polymers classified as lyotropic, such as the aramids Nomex and Kevlar, or thermotropic Hquid crystalline polymers, such as Vectran. 

In 1975, the synthesis of the first main-chain thermotropic polymers, three polyesters of 4,4 -dihydroxy-a,a -dimethylbenzalazine with 6, 8, and 10 methylene groups in the aHphatic chain, was reported (2). Shortly thereafter, at the Tennessee Eastman Co. thermotropic polyesters were synthesized by the acidolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) by/ -acetoxybenzoic acid (3). Copolymer compositions that contained 40—70 mol % of the oxybenzoyl unit formed anisotropic, turbid melts which were easily oriented. 

Industrial Thermotropic LGPs. Vectran, poly(6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid- o-4-hydroxybenzoic acid) [81843-52-9] is currendy the only thermotropic fiber which is commercially available (13). Vectran is synthesized by the melt acidolysis of/ -acetoxybenzoic acid and 6-acetoxy-2-naphthoic acid. 

Properties. As prepared, the polymer is not soluble in any known solvents below 200°C and has limited solubiUty in selected aromatics, halogenated aromatics, and heterocycHc Hquids above this temperature. The properties of Ryton staple fibers are in the range of most textile fibers and not in the range of the high tenacity or high modulus fibers such as the aramids. The density of the fiber is 1.37 g/cm which is about the same as polyester. However, its melting temperature of 285°C is intermediate between most common melt spun fibers (230—260°C) and Vectran thermotropic fiber (330°C). PPS fibers have a 7 of 83°C and a crystallinity of about 60%. 

Liquid crystals may be divided into two broad categories, thermotropic and lyotropic, according to the principal means of breaking down the complete order of the soHd state. Thermotropic Hquid crystals result from the melting of mesogenic soHds due to an increase in temperature. Both pure substances and mixtures form thermotropic Hquid crystals. In order for a mixture to be a thermotropic Hquid crystal, the different components must be completely miscible. Table 1 contains a few examples of the many Hquid crystal forming compounds (2). Much more is known about calamitic (rod-Hke) Hquid crystals then discotic (disk-like) Hquid crystals, since the latter were discovered only recendy. Therefore, most of this section deals exclusively with calamities, with brief coverage of discotics at the end. 

Discotic Phases. Molecules which are disk-shaped rather than elongated also form thermotropic Hquid crystal phases. Usually these molecules have aromatic cores and six lateral substituents, although the predominance of six lateral substituents is solely historical molecules with four lateral substituents also can form Hquid crystal phases. Although the flatness of these molecules creates a steric effect promoting alignment of the normal to the disks, the fact that disordered side chains are also necessary for the formation of these phases (as is often the case for Hquid crystallinity in elongated molecules) should not be ignored. 

Some molecules ia a solvent form phases with orientational and/or positional order. In these systems, the transition from one phase to another can occur due to a change of concentration, so they are given the name lyotropic Hquid crystals. Of course temperature can also cause phase transitions ia these systems, so this aspect of thermotropic Hquid crystals is shared by lyotropics. The real distinctiveness of lyotropic Hquid crystals is the fact that at least two very different species of molecules must be present for these stmctures to form. 

A Hquid crystal compound in more cases than not takes on more than one type of mesomorphic stmcture as the conditions of temperature or solvent are changed. In thermotropic Hquid crystals, transitions between various phases occur at definite temperatures and are usually accompanied by a latent heat. 

G. Vertogen and W. H. dejeu. Thermotropic Eiquid Cystals, Fundamentals, Spriuger-Vedag, Berlin, 1988. 

Naphthalenedicarboxylic Acid. This dicarboxyhc acid, a potential monomer in the production of polyester fibers and plastics with superior properties (105), and of thermotropic Hquid crystal polymers (106), is manufactured by the oxidation of 2,6-dialkylnaphthalenes (107,108). 

Thermotropic polycarbonates have been prepared from mixtures of 4,4 -dihydroxybiphenyl and various diphenols (10). Nematic melts were found for copolycarbonates prepared from methyfliydroquiaone, chlorohydroquiaone, 4,4 -dihydroxydiphenyl ether, and 4,4 -dihydroxybenzophenone. Slightly crystalline polycarbonates have been prepared from mixtures of hydroquinone and BPA (T = 154°C, =313°C, AH = 11.0 J/g (2.63 cal/g)), and... 

Similady, hquid-crystal polymers exhibit considerable order in the hquid state, either in solution (lyotropic) or melt (thermotropic). When crystallized from solution or melt, they have a high degree of extended-chain crystallinity, and thus have superior mechanical properties. Kevlar (Du Pont) is an aromatic polyamide (atamid) with the repeating unit designated as (2). It is spun into... 

The thermotropic Hquid-crystal polyester Vectra A (Hoechst-Celanese) is reported to have the repeating units (3) and (4) and Xydar (Dartco) the repeating units (5) and (3). 

Licjuid Crystals. Ferroelectric Hquid crystals have been appHed to LCD (Uquid crystal display) because of their quick response (239). Ferroelectric Hquid crystals have chiral components in their molecules, some of which are derived from amino acids (240). Concentrated solutions (10—30%) of a-helix poly(amino acid)s show a lyotropic cholesteric Hquid crystalline phase, and poly(glutamic acid ester) films display a thermotropic phase (241). Their practical appHcations have not been deterrnined. 

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