Viscoelastic properties of liquid crystal polymers: Collective motions and nuclear spin relaxation

Transverse deuterium (²H) nuclear spin relaxation experiments have been performed on a ²H labelled main chain liquid crystal polymer. Relaxation rates are determined as a function of temperature and pulse frequency using a modified Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill pulse train. The results are analysed in terms of a hydrodynamic model for fluctuations of the liquid crystal director. Analytic expressions are employed which relate the transverse spin relaxation rate to the anisotropic viscoelastic parameters of the polymer and allow estimates to be obtained for the effective viscosity and average elastic constant of the polymer. The molecular weight dependence of the viscoelastic parameters has been investigated and is found to be consistent with theoretical predictions for highly extended liquid crystal polymers.