Structure and dynamics of liquid-crystalline polymers with different molecular architectures

The structure and dynamics of liquid-crystalline polymers with different molecular architectures as revealed by multidimensional NMR Is described. Specific examples discussed Include semiflexible, rigid-rod, calamitic, and discotic systems. Structural aspects addressed are the determination of high rank order parameters, the micro-order in frozen liquid crystals and the packing of flexible side chains. Local dynamics In the glassy state, conformational dynamics and collective phenomena such as the development of convective director structures are discussed. It is demonstrated that advanced NMR spectroscopy yields highly specific information not available from conventional scattering, microscopic and relaxation techniques.