Dielectric Properties of an Immiscible Polymer Blend with Electrorheological Effect

Abstract

Dielectric measurement was carried out on an immiscible blend of a side-chain type polysiloxane liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) and a poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which has a large electrorheological (ER) effect, in the frequency range from 100, Hz to 10, MHz and over the temperature range from 25°C to 105°C. Two relaxation processes were observed; one is due to the mesogenic motion, i.e., the δ -process of LCP and the other to the Maxwell-Wagner effect originating in the conductivity of LCP dispersed in PDMS. The results were analyzed in terms of the Clausius-Mossotti (CM) approximation and the local field exerted on droplets of LCP was discussed.