Mechanical deformations in smectic-C main-chain liquid-crystalline elastomers

Sánchez-Ferrer, Antoni; Finkelmann, Heino

doi:10.1080/15421400903065879

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Journal article

Mechanical deformations in smectic-C main-chain liquid-crystalline elastomers

Sánchez-Ferrer, Antoni Physics Department, University of Fribourg, Switzerland - Institute for Macromolecular Chemistry, Albert Ludwigs University, Freiburg, German
Finkelmann, Heino Institute for Macromolecular Chemistry, Albert Ludwigs University, Freiburg, Germany

11.09.2009

Published in:

Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals. - 2009, p. 357-366

English A novel crosslinked smectic-C Main-Chain Liquid-Crystalline Elastomer (MCLCE) has been synthesized by polycondensation of vinyloxy-terminated mesogens, tetramethyldisiloxane and pentamethylpentaoxapentasilecane. The introduction of the functional vinyloxy group allows the synthesis of well-defined networks having low soluble content and good mechanical properties. Networks having a macroscopic uniformly ordered director and a conical distribution of the smectic layer normal with respect to the director are mechanically deformed by uniaxial and shear deformations. Under uniaxial deformations two processes were observed: parallel to the director the mechanical field directly couples to the smectic tilt angle while perpendicular to the director a reorientation process takes place. A shear deformation parallel and perpendicular to the director causes a uniform layer orientation and the network exhibits a smectic-C monodomain phase having a macroscopic uniform director and layer orientation. This process is reversible for shear deformation perpendicular and irreversible by applying the shear force parallel to the director.

Faculty

Faculté des sciences et de médecine

Department

Département de Physique

Language