Macromolecules, Vol.28, No.16, 5427-5433, 1995
Sans Study of a Semiflexible Main-Chain Liquid-Crystalline Polyether
A main-chain semiflexible polyether (TPB-10) has been studied in the nematic phase by small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and by neutron and X-ray diffraction. Principally, we have determined the polymer chain conformation by SANS for mixtures of deuterated and hydrogenous polymers, aligned using a strong magnetic field (4.2 T). In good agreement with previously reported results on nematic polyesters, our data are well fitted to a model of a cylinder in which the main chain forms one hairpin defect including two very confined and extended wires. Moreover, the X-ray diffraction patterns show that smectic C fluctuations occur in the low-temperature nematic range. Referring to the layer normal of the local S-C arrangement, the mesogens are tilted with respect to the field. Strikingly, the whole chains are also tilted with the same angle as the mesogenic units.
Keywords:ANGLE NEUTRON-SCATTERING;CONFORMATIONAL ISOMERISM;TRANS-ESTERIFICATION;NEMATIC POLYMER;PHASE-BEHAVIOR;POLYESTER;TRANSESTERIFICATION