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Liquid crystalline block copolymers by sequential cationic or promoted cationic and free‐radical polymerizations
Author(s) -
Galli Giancarlo,
Chiellini Emo,
Yagci Yusuf,
Serhatli Ersin I.,
Laus Michele,
Angeloni Annino Sante
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 1022-1360
DOI - 10.1002/masy.19961070110
Subject(s) - cationic polymerization , copolymer , cyclohexene oxide , polymer chemistry , living cationic polymerization , azobenzene , materials science , mesogen , polymerization , radical polymerization , liquid crystal , liquid crystalline , polymer , optoelectronics , composite material
The scope for the study of the synthesis and properties of liquid crystalline (LC) block copolymers is briefly outlined. While there are many approaches to the synthesis of LC block copolymers, the use of azo macroinitiators is very versatile and allows one to produce diverse block copolymer architectures. Azo macroinitiators are prepared by cationic or promoted cationic polymerization of tetrahydrofuran (1) or cyclohexene oxide (2), and are then used to initiate the free‐radical polymerization of various methacrylates 3,4 or acrylates 5–9 containing mesogenic azobenzene or biphenyl units thereby yielding block copolymers. The AB or ABA block copolymers are microphase‐separated and form smectic and/or nematic mesophases similar to the respective LC homopolymers.