Abstract
We present a quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) study of a main-chain liquid crystalline polyester (LCP) containing 4,4'-dihydroxy-a,a'-dimethylbenzalazine as the mesogenic unit. The elastic neutron scattering intensity was monitored in the temperature range 2-400 K, below the crystalline to nematic phase transition (Tm = 423 K). Two selectively deuteriated LCPs were investigated: (a) a polymer deuteriated in the mesogenic units (mD-LCP) and (b) a polymer deuteriated in the flexible spacers (flD-LCP). This made it possible to distinguish the dynamics of the rigid mesogens from the molecular motion of the flexible spacers. A single process was detected in mD-LCP which reflects the motion of the alkyl chains whereas flD-LCP shows an additional low-temperature process which was attributed to reorientational motion of the methyl groups in the mesogens. The slow processes in mD-LCP and flD-LCP are similar, suggesting strong coupling between the dynamics of the flexible chains and the mesogens.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1605-1612 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of the Chemical Society, Faraday Transactions |
| Volume | 93 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| Publication status | Published - 21 Apr 1997 |