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

本研究的目的是基于我们发现具有硅氧烷间隔的聚苯乙烯具有液晶性，通过控制聚苯乙烯型液晶聚合物与基础聚合物聚苯乙烯共混的微相分离结构，开发液晶光学快门。Kawakami建立了单体的合成方法，通过硅氧烷间隔剂连接各种介生基团的单体，通过阴离子聚合得到了分子量和分布可控的聚合物。这些聚合物在较宽的温度范围内表现出液态结晶性。通过差示扫描量热仪、热力学分析和光学偏振显微照片研究了分子量及其分布与液晶温度范围和液晶相的关系。研究结果发表在《Polym.Bull.36,653》杂志上(1996)。这些聚合物具有自支撑特性，对宽波长范围的光是透明的。与Goto博士和Kashiwagi博士合作，对这些聚合物在微相分离的海洋和岛屿域中作为液晶储层的估计。有关聚二烯的研究结果发表在Polym杂志上。J.28,513(1996)，合成硅氧烷化合物的结果发表在chemistry . letters .107（1995）， 517（1996）。Goto还研究了液晶材料取向膜的开发，并发表在New materials， 7,18（1996）和J S R technology Review， 103,1（1996）上。通过本研究，达到了开发和评价光学百叶窗用液晶材料的目的。但是，要想开发出一种可以与现有体系竞争的可实现的体系，还需要进一步的研究来控制聚合物的分子量和结构。

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.