X-ray investigation of combined main-chain/side-chain liquid-crystalline polymers

Structural investigations on six combined liquid-crystalline polymers using the X-ray technique are described. The measurements have allowed a characterization of the liquid-crystalline phases and have led to our first ideas about the phase structures. All mesogenic groups are arranged parallel to each other, the shortest segment in the main-chain or in the side-chain determines the smectic layer spacing. A modified designation for liquid-crystalline phases of high polymers is proposed.