Molecular design of ferroelectric liquid crystalline polymers

Abstract

The synthesis and characterization of several series of ferroelectric side-chain polymers were presented. Differential scanning calorimetry, optical polarizing microscopy and X-ray diffraction measurement were used to determine their thermal transitions and analyze their anisotropic textures. The influence of polymer backbones, flexible spacers, mesogenic cores as well as chiral end groups on the mesomorphic properties of the polymers was discussed.