PB15 Orientational Control of Side Chain Liquid Crystalline Random Copolymers by Copolymerization Ratios

Abstract

Random copolymers containing cyanobiphenyl methacrylate and azobenzene methacrylate were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) method. Thin films of these polymers were prepared by spincoating method. UV-Vis spectroscopy and grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GI-SAXS) measurement revealed that the orientation of mesogens in the thin films depended on copolymerization ratios. Also, block copolymers containing the random copolymerized mesogens were synthesized by ATRP method. Liquid crystalline (LC) phases and micro-phase separated structures of these polymers were investigated by GI-SAXS measurement. It is found here that the homeotropic and planar alignment of the LC phases can be switched by light irradiation.