A novel study of the polymerisation process involved in the formation of the network component of polymer-stabilised liquid crystals within electro-optic cells using high performance liquid chromatography

Brittin, M., Mitchell, G.R. and Gilbert, A. (2001) A novel study of the polymerisation process involved in the formation of the network component of polymer-stabilised liquid crystals within electro-optic cells using high performance liquid chromatography. Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals, 357 (1). pp. 99-115. ISSN 1563-5287 doi: 10.1080/10587250108028247

Abstract/Summary

Polymer-stabilised liquid crystals are systems in which a small amount of monomer is dissolved within a liquid crystalline host, and then polymerised in situ to produce a network. The progress of the polymerisation, performed within electro-optic cells, was studied by establishing an analytical method novel to these systems. Samples were prepared by photopolymerisation of the monomer under well-defined reaction conditions; subsequent immersion in acetone caused the host and any unreacted monomer to dissolve. High performance liquid chromatography was used to separate and detect the various solutes in the resulting solutions, enabling the amount of unreacted monomer for a given set of conditions to be quantified. Longer irradiations cause a decrease in the proportion of unreacted monomer since more network is formed, while a more uniform LC director alignment (achieved by decreasing the sample thickness) or a higher level of order (achieved by decreasing the polymerisation temperature) promotes faster reactions.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/26768
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy > Department of Chemistry Interdisciplinary centres and themes > Chemical Analysis Facility (CAF) > Electron Microscopy Laboratory (CAF)
Publisher	Taylor and Francis
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