Functionalization of Networked Polymers with Characteristics of Liquid Crystal Molecules

Abstract

As mesogenic groups containing aromatic rings have rigid structure, introduction of such mesogenic groups into the networked polymer chains effectively suppresses the molecular mobility resulting in improved thermal property. In addition, when a suitable flexible chains coexist, self-organization of the mesogenic groups in the network chains occurs and liquid crystalline phases are formed. The liquid crystal orientation can be fixed into the networked polymer chains mainly by optimizing the curing reaction condition (temperature / external field) and by selecting curing agents. The obtained polymer materials by this method exhibited high toughness, high heat resistance and high thermal conductivity and their properties depended on the degree of molecular chain orientation. Moreover, the influence on network chain orientation caused by loading inorganic filler is introduced.