Liquid Crystal Polymers

Thermotropic Liquid Crystal Polymers are thermoplastic polymers that can have local molecular ordering. They have now found niche application as fibres “Vectran” and as injection moulding polymers. Their optical microstructure is both fascinating and beautiful, as illustruted in the presentation below. Most, but not all of the micrographs were taken by Diane Graziano.

Papers relevant to Liquid Crystal Polymers

• M.R.Mackley, F. Pinaud and G. Siekmann.  Observations of disclinations and optical anisotropy in a mesomorphic polyester. Polymer. 22, 437-446 (1981).
• D.J.Graziano, M.R. Mackley and K.F. Wissbrum. Stress relaxation after oscillatory shear in a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer. Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 13, 243-257 (1983).
• D.J.Graziano and M.R. Mackley. Disclinations observed during the shear of MBBA. Mol. Cryst. and Liquid Cryst. 106(1/2), 73 (1984).
• D.J.Graziano and M.R. Mackley. Shear induced optical texture’s and their relaxation behaviour in thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers.
  Mol. Cryst. and Liquid Cryst.. 106(1/2), 103 (1984).
• N.A.Alderman and M.R. Mackley. Optical textures observed during the shearing of thermotropic liquid crystal polymers. Faraday Discussion Chem. Soc. 79, paper 12 (1985).
• M.R.Mackley.The rheology and micro structure of flowing thermotropic liquid crystal polymers. Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 153, 249-261 (1987).
• M.R.Mackley. Polymer fluids. Sir Charles Frank Festschrift; Ed. R.G. Chambers et al. Polymer Fluids. Adam Hilger, 307-321 (1991).
• T.M.Nicholson, M.R. Mackley and A.H. Windle.  Shear induced crystallization in a liquid crystalline random copolyester. Polymer.  33, 2,  434-435 (1992).
• L.Gervat., M.R.Mackley,T.M.Nicholson and A.H.Windle. The effect of shear on thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers. Phil Trans Roy Soc ( Lond).350, 1- 27 (1995).