Supramolecular microphase separation in a hydrogen-bonded liquid crystalline comb copolymer in the melt state

Supramolecular microphase separation in a hydrogen-bonded liquid crystalline comb copolymer in the melt state, was analyzed. A highly temperature dependent phase behavior was observed, including a high-temperature phase which exhibited microphase separation on a length scale well above the size of the mesogen separation on a length scale well above the size of the mesogen or that achievable through swelling of the smectic layers by the polymer backbone alone. Critical variables in this process are graft density and the attractive interaction between side chains. The results show that hydrogen bonding can be successfully used to produce a side-group liquid crystalline polymer.