STUDY ON INTERMITTENT SHEAR FLOW AND RELAXATION BEHAVIOR OF THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMER

Intermittent shear flow including start-up flow and small oscillatory amplitude time sweep or stress relaxation after cessation of shear flow was used to study the rheological behavior and internal structure of thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP). There are two kinds of intermittent shear flow: all start-up flows are in the same direction (intermittent flow forward: IFF) and start-up flows change their directions alternately (intermittent flow reversal: IFR). The results show that the stress of start-up flow of IFF and IFR in the test process is not superposed, indicating different changes of internal structure of thermotropic LCP (TLCP). Two main factors affect structure changes in the experimental time scale. One relates to long-term texture relaxation process, the other is an interchain reaction that becomes important after 30 min. The two factors raise the stress of IFF, but express complex effects for the stress of IFR. The latter factor becomes very important at long time annealing process. The relaxation behavior was also studied by the application of wide range relaxation spectrum calculated from the combined dynamic modulus, which gave three characteristic relaxation times (0.3, 10 and 600 s) ascribable to the relaxations of less-phase orientation, domain orientation, and domain deformation, respectively. The result also shows that the domain coalescence (texture relaxation), a long relaxation time, is a much slow process and lasts beyond 2400 s of the test time.     

MORPHOLOGY OF A THERMOTROPIC AROMATIC POLYESTER

The crystalline morphology of a thermotropic aromatic polyester has been studied by microscopy techniques. Spherulites with ringed structure under polarizing micioscope were observed for solution cast specimens, They were composed of radially growing crystalline lamellae of thickness around 100. It was found that the molecules were packed in the thickness direction. Banded texture was observed in randomly packed domains for melt cast specimens. The bands have the same width and internal structure as those usually observed in oriented specimens of these polymers obtained by shearing their mesomorphic melt.     

STUDIES ON THE MORPHOLOGY OF THERMOTROPIC POLYESTER DURING TRANSITIONS BETWEEN ISOTROPIC AND ANISOTROPIC MELTS

The morphology of a thermotropic aromatic polyester during the transitions between isotropic and anisotropic melts was studied by means of polarizing microscopy and small angle light scattering techniques. Both transition processes were found to be composed of the initiation of a new phase at local places of the old phase matrix and the growth of the new phase domains. A change of Hv scattering patterns was observed in the transition temperature ranges and was explained as the result of heterogeneity of the mesophase system, but not the change in ordering of a homogeneous mesophase.     

STUDIES ON CRITICAL CONCENTRATION OF LIQUID CRYSTALLINE ETHYLCELLULOSE

Critical concentrations of lyotropic liquid crystalline ethylcellulose in more than tensolvents were determined using both Abbe refractometer and polarized microscopy. Criti-cal concentration C_(crit) of forming liquid crystal phase decreased with increasing solubilityparameter δ of solvent until approaching the δ of polymer. Although the alcohols usedas solvents had the same variation rule, the critical concentration values of their solutionswere much higher, due to their excessive large hydrogen bond component of δ. The experi-ments of using mixed solvents which showed good linear relation between C_(crit) and δ alsoproved this rule. A technique of Transmission Optical Analysis was first used to estimatethe concentration dependence of critical phase transition temperature T_(crit) of EC, and aT-C phase diagram could be drawn.     

STUDIES ON THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE COPOLYESTERS——POLY (ARYLENE TEREPHTHALATE-CO-BUTYLENE TEREPHTHALATE)

A series of copolyesters based on bis(4-hydroxybutyl) terephthalate, terephthaloyl chloride andvarious aromatic diols (i.e. hydroquinone, chlorohydroquinone, bromohydroquinone or dihydroxybi-phenyl) was prepared. ~1H-NMR studies revealed that the monomer units had microstructures closeto random distribution in the chains. The copolymers showed composition-dependent liquid crystal-line properties as verified by visual observation of stir opalescence, polarizing microscope, DSC andX-ray diffration. The copolyesters with aromatic diol contents over a certain extent (for chloro-hydroquinone m≥0.33) were thermotropic with wide liquid crystalline temperature ranges. Theintroduction of chlorohydroquinone into the copolyesters could gradually destroy the crystallinityof the polymers but retain the liquid crystalline characteristics.     

ELECTROCHROMETIC STUDIES ON POLAR MULTILAYERS OF LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMERS

Electrochrometic measurements were carried on the Z-type Langmuir-Blodgett films oftwo liquid crystalline polymers: mono-{6-[4-(phenylazo) naphthyloxy] hexyl} (1a) andmono-{6-[4-(anthraquinone-1-azo) naphthyloxy] hexyl} (2a) ester of polymaleic acid. Itwas found that for both polymers, poling fields parallel and antiparalle1 to dipole momentsof the polymer side chains induce red and blue shift in absorption bands, respectively. Forpolymer la blue shift is accompanied by absorbance increase, while red shift by absorbancedecrease;but for polymer 2a only decrease in absorbance is observed. A simple model wasproposed to analyze the results.     

LAMELLAR STRUCTURE OF THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMERS

The lamellar structure of a thermotropic aromatic polyester with flexible spacer has beenstudied by using transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the lamellar structure couldbe observed in the crystalline samples of this semirigid polymer crystallized from different states.The thickness of lamellae is around 10 nm, which is similar to that of the conventional polymersof flexible chain molecules. The molecular chains in the lamellae are oriented in the thicknessdirection as determined by electron diffraction. The possibility of molecular chains folding in the lamellae has been discussed.     

STUDIES ON THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE COPOLYESTERS:POLY (ARYLENE TEREPHTHALATECO-HEXAMETHYLENE TEREFHTHALATE)

A series of copolyesters based on terephthaloyl chloride, hexamethylene glycol and hydroquinone or chlorohydroquinone were prepared. The copolymers showed composition-dependent liquid crystalline properties as verified by visual observation of stir-opalescence, polarizing microscope and DSC. The copolyesters with aromatic diol contents over a certain extent (x≥0.2) were thermotropic with wide liquid crystalline temperature ranges. Comparing with the copolyesters based on butylene glycol or ethylene glycol, the minimum fraction of aromatic diol (x value) used to get the liquid crystallinity for all these copolyesters is around 0.2 regardless of the chain lengths of aliphatic glycols. ~1H-NMP studies revealed that copolyesters have microstructure of block sequence distribution and the mesogenie segments shorter than triad with three phenyl nuclei will not provide the liquid crystallinity.     

STUDIES ON THE KINETICS OF PHASE TRANSITIONS OF A MAIN CHAIN THERMOTROPIC POLYESTER

The kinetics of phase transitions including a transition between mesophases were studied for a main-chain thermotropic polyester by means of DSC and depolarizing transmittance techniques. The isothermal process of these transitions was found to be described by the Avrami equation to high conversions. The Avrami exponents n are about 2,4, 5.3 and 2.2 for liquid crystallization, transition between mesophases and crystallization from mesophase respectively. The liquid crystallization from isotropic liquid phase occurs at very low undercoolings with high transformation rate. This behavior is explained as the results of the smaller value of the surface free energy for mesophase than that for crystallites which is evidenced by the very weak temperature dependence of liquid crystallization rate.     

STUDY ON THE PHASE TRANSITION KINETICS OF THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE AROMATIC-ALIPHATIC COPOLYESTER

The phase transition kinetics of thennotropic liquid crystalline aromatic-aliphatic regular copolyester: were studied by DSC. By means of Kissinger's method the kinetic equation and parameters including activation energy, rate order and preexponential factor for phase transition from nematic to isotropic were obtained. The activation energy from crystal to nematic was also presented.     

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SOME THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYAMIDES

A series of novel mesogenic polyamides containing a flexible pendent side group wassynthesized by solution condensation polymerization. The new monomers, diacids and di-amines containing flexible elements of diferent lengths, were also synthesized and character-ized by ~1HNMR, mass spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The polymers were character-ized by viscosity measurements, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffiactionand polarizing optical microscopy These studies revealed that polyamides containingflexible elements of a sufficient length exhibited thermotropic liquid crystalline(LC) pro-perties. The melting temperatures of this series of polymers were particularly sensitive tothe length of the flexible segment on the main chain and that of the flexible pendent esterside chain. Lyotropic LC behaviours were also observed in solution.     

STUDIES ON THE AGGRESGATION BEHAVIOUR OF A SIDE－CHAIN LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMER IN LANGMUIR－BLODGETT FILMS

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THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE COPOLYESTERS-SOLID STATE POLYMORPHISM

This paper offers some new evidence on the polymorphism of solid state of liquid crystalline aromatic copolyesters which were prepared in our laboratory. The effects of different treatment conditions(quenching and annealing) on solid structure have been examined mainly by DSC and X-ray diffraction. The discussion focuses on the supercooled mesophase and low temperature solid-solid transition, the shifting of double melting peaks of annealed samples and the changing of their ΔH data depending on the treatment temperature, time and thermal scanning rate.     

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYESTER-ETHER SULFONE

A new aromatic thermotropic liquid crystalline polyester-ethersulfone(PEES)was prepared from 4,4-bis(4-hydroxyphenoxy)diphenylsulfone(BHPDS),terephthalic acid(TPA)and p-hydroxybenzoic acid(P-HBA).Somefactors that affected melting viscosity of polymer such as prepolymerizationreaction medium and post-polymerization etc,were discussed.The liquidcrystalline properties were characterized by DSC,polarizing microscope witha hot stage and WAXD measurements.     

STUDIES ON THE SEQUENCE STRUCTURE OF TPA/EG/PHB LIQUID CRYSTALLINE COPOLYESTERS

In this paper, the sequence structure of TPA/EG/PHB liquid crystalline copolyesters made from different synthetic methods has been studied by ~1H-NMR with the help of computer program of processing peaks. The results showed that the ether bonds were not observed in TPA./EG/PHB copolyesters and the synthetic process had a great effect on their sequence structure. Under certain conditions, the high,random TPA/EG/PHB copolyesters which were considered to have higher performances than PET/xPHB could be obtained.     

EFFECT OF ANNEALING ON MICROSTRUCTURE OF AROMATIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE COPOLYESTERS

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SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLY(ESTER-IMIDE)S

A new series of thermotropic liquid crystalline poly(ester-imide)s were synthesized via a solution polycondensation process.Thepolymers were also characterized by IR,DSC,polarizing microscopy and WAXDmeasurements.     

STRUCTURAL STUDIES ON CRYSTALLINE 3,4—POLYISOPRENE

In the paper,the structures of the crystalline 3,4-polyisoprene(3,4-PI)which was first synthesized in our institute,were investigated by using Wide AngleX-ray Diffraction(WAXD);Small Angle X-ray Scattering(SAXS)and Laue photography invarious polymerization conditions and elongate ratios.It was found that reducingreaction velocity was favourable for crystalline capacity.The polymeric structures weredependent mainly on nitrogen electron donor.The degree of crystallinity and long periodwere increased with elongate ratio,but crystalline size was decreased.The polymersused in the work belong to inhomogeneous particulate system.The particulate radii werebetween 35-164A.     

STUDIES ON THE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF FREE-STANDING FILMS OF POLYANILINE

An insulate to metal transition was investigated based on the measurements of the dependence of the conductivity, activation energy on the protonation state of polyaniline (PANI). An isotropy in conductivity for stretched salt form of PANI was observed.For salt film of PANI, the Ⅰ-Ⅴcurve obeys Ohm's law, which shows a typical metal behavior, however, for base film or film with low protonation state, it can be explained by Space Charge Limited Current (SCLC). It is also found that the Ⅰ-Ⅴcurve of base film of PANI is independent of the work function of electrodes and the polymerization temperature.     

WHOLLY-AROMATIC THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMER AND ITS BLOCK COPOLYMER

A wholly-aromatic thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (WATLCP) composed ofp-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), 4,4'-dihydroxy bisphenyl (BP), terephthalic acid (TPA),m-phthalic acid (MPA) was synthesized. It was symbolized by BP-LCP. Using a simi-lar method, a new copolymer BP-PSF was prepared. BP-PSF has a semi-flexible chainpolysulfone and a rigid-rod chain like BP-LCP. By FT-IR, polarizing microscope and DSCtechnique, the structures and properties of BP-LCP and BP-PSF were studied.