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Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry, Vol.32, No.16, 2999-3007, 1994
Random Thermotropic Elastomers .1. Effects of Substitution and Hard/Soft Segment Lengths on Properties
Syntheses of segmented copoly(ether-ester)s with (oxy-2-methyl-1,4-phenyleneoxycarbonyl-1,4-phenylene carbonyl)/(oxy-2-chloro-1,4-phenyleneoxy carbonyl) (methyl-/chloro-substituted) hard segments and poly(oxytetramethylene) soft segments, are reported. The methodology consisted of staged addition melt condensation of terephthaloyl chloride, poly(oxytetramethylene)glycol (POTMG; (M) over bar(n) = 250, 650, 1000, 2000) and methyl-/chloro-hydroquinone. Lengths of hard and soft segments were varied while the weight ratio of hard to soft segment was maintained constant. Copolymers were characterised for solubility behavior, and by infrared spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, DSC, and polarizing microscopy. Thermal properties were found to be dependent on length of soft segment as well as on the type of substituent in the mesogenic core. In both methyl- as well as chloro-substituted copoly(ether-ester)s soft segment glass transition temperature (T-gs) was obtained between -40 and -50 degrees C. All copoly(ether-ester)s are elastomeric at room temperature (25 degrees C). These polymers exhibit thermotropic liquid crystalline behavior and were easily sheared and aligned in liquid crystalline state.
Keywords:LIQUID-CRYSTAL ELASTOMERS;POLY(ETHYLENE GLYCOL);POLY(BUTYLENE TEREPHTHALATE);AROMATIC COPOLYESTERS;POLYETHER;POLYMERS;CHAIN;COPOLYMERS;POLYESTER;SPACERS