Smectic E side-chain liquid crystalline poly(methacrylates)

Abstract
A homologous series of three side-chain liquid crystalline poly(methacrylates) with 4'methoxybiphenylyl pendant mesogenic groups and oligo(ethylene-oxide) flexible spacers has been studied by X-ray diffraction. These polymers were shown to form a single layered smectic E structure, which has been analysed in terms of polymer chain conformation. The pendant groups were found to all hang on the same side of the polymer backbone to form ribbons, which are assembled side by side with an alternating up and down orientation of the pendant groups