Ferroelectric liquid-crystalline side group polymers Spacer length variation and comparison with the monomers

Abstract

Abstract The phase behaviour and the ferroelectric properties of liquid-crystalline side group polyacrylates containing an (R)-4″(1-methylheptyloxy)-4′-biphenylyloxycarbonyl-4-phenoxy moiety are compared with the properties of their monomers. A S*C phase polymorphism including monolayer and bilayer structures was found for the polymers. Some of the S*C subphases, consisting of smectic mono- or bi-layers, do not exhibit ferroelectric properties. These unusual properties do not exist for the corresponding monomeric acrylates. Therefore, one has to take into account that the polymer chain exerts a strong influence on the phase behaviour and the ferroelectric properties.