3A04 Shear Flow Orientations of a Main-Chain Smectic-CA Liquid Crystalline Polymer

Abstract

The smectic CA phase of main-chain BB-5(3-Me) polyester was examined for the orientation under large amplitude oscillatory shear flows. Although the layer normal aligned to the neutral direction at frequencies in the investigated range, the c-director direction was strongly dependent on the frequency. At frequencies ranging from 1-10 Hz, the c-director aligned to the velocity direction, and otherwise, it aligned to the velocity gradient direction.