Phase transitions of liquid crystalline cyanoethyl cellulose solutions under static conditions and in shear field

Phase transitions in the systems cyanoethyl cellulose-DMF, cyanoethyl cellulose-DMAA, and cyanoethyl cellulose-(trifluoroacetic acid + methylene chloride) were studied by means of the cloud-point and polarization microscopy techniques, as well as with a photoelectric polarization unit and a modified plasticorder. It was shown that the LC phase appears at higher concentrations and lower temperatures as the polarity of solvent molecules increases. The shear deformation of cyanoethyl cellulose solutions in DMF and DMAA results in the expansion of the temperature-concentration region of existence of the LC phase. The effect of shear field on phase transitions in cyanoethyl cellulose solutions is nonmonotonic in character.