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Smectic Liquid Crystal Observed in Thermotropic System of Rigid-Rod Poly(γ-octadecyl L-glutamate)

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Naoko Sano

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Abstract

We investigated the thermotropic phase behavior of rigid-rod poly(γ-octadecyl L-glutamate) (PG18) with an average molecular weight Mw=36,000. Two polymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn), PG18-A with Mw/Mn=1.12 and PG18-B with Mw/Mn=1.05, were prepared by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) fractionation. Both were found to form a smectic A phase by means of microscopic observations of the focal conic texture and by the small-angle X-ray method. The smectic A phase of PG18-A was transformed into a cholesteric phase at approximately 140–170°C while that of PG18-B stably existed in the entire thermotropic temperature range from 60°C to 220°C (decomposition temperature). This dependence of smectic stability on the molecular weight polydispersity qualitatively corresponds to the theoretical prediction based on the excluded volume effect.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Okoshi K, Sano N, Suzaki G, Tokita M, Magoshi J, Watanabe J

Publication type: Letter

Publication status: Published

Journal: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics

Year: 2002

Volume: 41

Pages: L720-L722

ISSN (print): 0021-4922

ISSN (electronic): 1347-4065

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1143/JJAP.41.L720

DOI: 10.1143/JJAP.41.L720


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