Evaluation of Liquid Crystalline Polymers with Hydrocarbon Main Chain as Shutter Materials

本研究的目的是基于含硅氧烷基团的聚苯乙烯具有液晶性，通过控制聚苯乙烯类液晶聚合物与基础聚合物(即聚苯乙烯)的微观相分离结构来开发液晶光学快门。川上建立了单体的合成方法，并通过硅氧烷基团连接的各种介晶基团的单体进行阴离子聚合，获得了相对分子质量及其分布可控的聚合物。这些聚合物在较宽的温度范围内表现出液晶性。用差示扫描量热仪、热机械分析和光学偏光显微镜研究了聚合物的相对分子质量及其分布与液晶度和液晶相温度范围的关系。研究结果发表在Polym.Bull.36,653(1996)上。这些聚合物表现出自支撑性能，对宽波长范围的光是透明的。与Dr、Goto和Kashiwagi合作，估计这些聚合物作为微相分离的海和岛域中液晶的储存库。关于聚二烯的结果发表在Polym上。J.28,513(1996)和化学快报107(1995)、517(1996)上发表了有关合成硅氧烷化合物的结果。Goto还研究了液晶材料取向膜的发展，并在《新材料》(7，18)和《S R技术评论》(103，1)(1996)上发表了研究结果。然而，需要进一步的研究来控制聚合物的相对分子质量和结构，以开发出能够与实际存在的体系竞争的可实现的体系。

The purpose of the research was to develop a liquid crystalline optical shutter by controlling the micro phase-separated structure of a polystirene type liquid crystalline polymer blended with a base polymer, namely polystirene, based on our finding that polystirene with siloxane spacer show liquid crystallinity.Kawakami established the synthetic method of monomers, and obtained polymers with controlled molecular weight and its distribution by anionic polymerization of monomers with various mesogenic groups connected through siloxane spacer. These polymers showed liquid crystallinity in wide temperature range. The relationship between the molecular weight and its distribution with the temperature range of liquid crystallinity and liquid crystalline phase was studied differential scanning calorimeter, thermal mechanical analysis, and optical polarization micrograph. The results were published in Polym.Bull.36,653 (1996). These polymers showed self-supporting property and are transparent against light with wide range of wave length. Estimation of these polymers as a reservoir for liquid crystals in the micro phase-separated sea and island domain in collaboration with Dr, Goto and Kashiwagi. The results on polydiene were published in Polym. J.28,513 (1996), and the results on the synthesis of siloxane compounds were published in Chem.Lett.107 (1995), 517 (1996).Goto also studied the development of orienting membrane for liquid crystalline materials, and published the results in New Materials, 7,18 (1996) and J S R Technical Review, 103,1 (1996).By this research, the purpose to develop and evaluate the liquid crystalline materials for optical shutters was attained. However, further study is needed to control the molecular weight and the structure of polymers to develop a realizable systems which can compete with actually existing system.