Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals, Vol.478, 989-999, 2007
Preparation and characterization of crosslinked azobenzene liquid-crystalline polymer fibers
We report the synthesis and physical properties of crosslinked liquid-crystalline polymer (CLCP) fibers consisting of a liquid-crystalline monomer and all acrylate monomer with a hydroxyl group that acts (is a reactive site for crosslinking. By differential scanning calorimetry, the CLCP fibers showed a glass transition temperature around 60 degrees C. Polarizing optical microscopy revealed that we obtained fibers with high orientation of mesogens along the fiber axis. The CLCP fibers showed deformations induced by heated the fiber to all isotropic phase.