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Synthesis and characterization of high molecular weight side chain liquid crystalline/photoactive polymers
Author(s) -
Murali M.,
Sudhakar P.,
Kumar B. Satish,
Samui A. B.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.29267
Subject(s) - monomer , side chain , gel permeation chromatography , polymer , polymer chemistry , azobenzene , differential scanning calorimetry , materials science , glycidyl methacrylate , liquid crystal , mesophase , methacrylate , thermal stability , copolymer , thermogravimetric analysis , isomerization , chemistry , organic chemistry , physics , optoelectronics , catalysis , composite material , thermodynamics
Various liquid crystalline and photoactive azobenzene monomers were synthesized and attached to copoly(methyl methacrylate‐glycidyl methacrylate) [copoly (MMA‐GMA)] to get high molecular weight side chain liquid crystalline (LC)/photoactive copolymers. Further, spacers are generated in situ and reactive groups are obtained after the modification. All monomers and polymers were thoroughly characterized by FTIR, 1 H and 13 C NMR, UV‐VIS spectrophotometry, gel permeation chromatography, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and polarized optical microscopy. All side chain LC polymers showed higher thermal stability than that of copoly(MMA‐GMA). Three LC and one azo monomer exhibited characteristic nematic mesophase where as one LC monomer has shown nematic and sanded smectic‐A texture. The rate of trans‐cis isomerization of polymer was lower than that of the monomer and both monomers and polymers showed slow back isomerization. Present approach offers convenient way to synthesize high/desired molecular weight photoactive LC polymers. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009