Advanced Materials, Vol.21, No.16, 1622-1622, 2009
Calamitic Liquid-Crystalline Elastomers Swollen in Bent-Core Liquid-Crystal Solvents
The swelling of calamitic liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) with bent-core mesogens is investigated in the isotropic phase of both materials. The swelling magnitude and dynamics are determined and fitted with a dual exponential. The host LCEs imbibe bent-core molecules up to 30-40 mol%. The swollen elastomers exhibit nematic phases, with some possessing a lower temperature smectic phase.