Mesogene-Polymer Backbone Coupling in Side-Chain Polymer Liquid Crystals, Studied by High Magnetic-Field-Induced Alignment

M. I. Boamfǎ, K. Viertler, A. Wewerka, F. Stelzer, P. C. M. Christianen, and J. C. Maan
Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 025501 – Published 14 January 2003

Abstract

We show that cooling side chain polymer liquid crystals in a magnetic field, from the isotropic to nematic and subsequently to the glass phase, results in a macroscopically ordered, transparent, and strongly birefringent material. The aligned samples retain their properties after the field is removed and can be dealigned only by heating them to the isotropic phase. To induce alignment, a threshold field Bth is necessary, which strongly depends on the chemical structure details. Bth reflects the strength of mesogene-polymer backbone coupling, and we will show that this interaction is responsible for the stability of the induced alignment at zero field.

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  • Received 29 May 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.025501

©2003 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

M. I. Boamfǎ1,*, K. Viertler2, A. Wewerka2, F. Stelzer2, P. C. M. Christianen1, and J. C. Maan1

  • 1Research Institute for Materials, High Field Magnet Laboratory, University of Nijmegen, Toernoiveld 1, 6525 ED, The Netherlands
  • 2Institute for Chemistry & Technology of Organic Materials, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 16/1, A-8010 Graz, Austria

  • *Corresponding author. Email address: boamfa@sci.kun.nl

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Vol. 90, Iss. 2 — 17 January 2003

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