Rheological behavior of comb-shaped mesophase polymers and their modifying role in the blends with thermoplastics

Most of the polymers with mesogenic groups in side- or main-chains are liquid-crystalline in nature. One can observe a lot of similarities in the mesophase structure types, orientational order parameter, anisotropy of optical, electrical and magnetical properties of polymer and low-molecular-weight liquid crystals. At the same time the presence of backbones contributes some peculiarities and limitations to their behavior.