Synthesis and characterization of block copolymers of polystyrene and thermotropic liquid crystalline polyesters

Article abstract of DOI:10.13005/ojc/340114

A series of block copolymers containing a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer and an amorphous polystyrene have been synthesized. The block copolymers were prepared by solution polycondensation of α,ω-dicarboxylic acid-terminated polystyrene with 4,4′-dicarboxy-1,6-diphenoxy-hexane and 4,4′-bis(2-hydroxyalkyloxy)biphenyls in a mixture of triphenylphosphine, hexachloroethane, and pyridine. The obtained polymers were fractionated to isolate the pure block copolymer. The block copolymers were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, optical polarizing microscopy measurement. Optical polarizing microscopy measurements verify the presence of a smectic liquid crystalline phase for the block copolymers. The block copolymers represent a microphase-separated morphology, i.e., both amorphous and liquid crystalline properties were displayed by the polystyrene and liquid crystalline polyester segments respectively.

Full text of DOI:10.13005/ojc/340114

ISSN: 0970-020 X
CODEN: OJCHEG
2018, Vol. 34, No.(1):
Pg. 125-133
ORIENTAL JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
An International Open Free Access, Peer Reviewed Research Journal
www.orientjchem.org
Synthesis and Characterization of Block Copolymers of
Polystyrene and Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Polyesters
CHENG-CHIH CHEN1 and CHIH-HUNG LIN2*
1Department of Cosmetic Science, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, No.261,
Wenhua 1st Rd., Guishan Township, Taoyuan County 33303 Taiwan, Taiwan.
2Center For General Education, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, No.261,
Wenhua 1st Rd., Guishan Township, Taoyuan County 33303 Taiwan, Taiwan.
*Corresponding author E-mail: chin@mail.cgust.edu.tw
http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/ojc/340114
(Received: September 06, 2017; Accepted: December 30, 2017)
ABSTRACT
A series of block copolymers containing a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer and an
amorphous polystyrene have been synthesized. The block copolymers were prepared by solution
polycondensation of α,ω-dicarboxylic acid-terminated polystyrene with 4,4'-dicarboxy
-1,6-diphenoxy- hexane and 4,4’-bis(2-hydroxyalkyloxy)biphenyls in a mixture of
triphenylphosphine, hexachloroethane, and pyridine. The obtained polymers were fractionated to
isolate the pure block copolymer. The block copolymers were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy,
differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, optical polarizing microscopy
measurement. Optical polarizing microscopy measurements verify the presence of a smectic
liquid crystalline phase for the block copolymers. The block copolymers represent a microphase-
separated morphology, i.e., both amorphous and liquid crystalline properties were displayed by
the polystyrene and liquid crystalline polyester segments respectively.
Keywords: Block copolymer, Polystyrene, Thermotropic liquid crystal, Microphase.
INTRODUCTION
crystalline9-13 and amorphous/side-chain liquid
crystalline blocks3-8. Adams and Gronski carried out
the synthesis of block copolymers containing a
side-chain LCP and polystyrene4. Gottschalk and
Schmidt prepared graft copolymers containing
a side-chain LCP and polystyrene3. Chiellini et al.,
reported the ABA block copolymers containing
a main-chain LCP B block and polystyrene A block13.
In recent years, the polymers has attracted
increasing interest their have a microphase
separations systems. Microphase separations of
polymer is good material for solar cells.1-13. Such
polymers included block or graft copolymers
comprised of amorphous/ main-chain liquid
This is an
Open Access article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
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126
LIN., Orient. J. Chem., Vol. 34(1), 125-133 (2018)
In this research, LCP and block copolymers liquid nitrogen cooling accessory. Heating and
of polystyrene were prepared by solution cooling rates were 10 °C per minute. Thermal
polycondensation of α,ω-dicarboxylic acid- transition reports were collected during the second
terminated polystyrene with 4,4-dicarboxy-1,6- heating and cooling scans. Thermogravimetric
diphenoxyhexane and 4,4-bis(2-hydroxyethyloxy) analysis was performed on a Seiko TG/DTA 200
biphenyls in a mixture of triphenylphosphine, thermal analyzer. A Carl-Zeiss Axiphot polarized
hexachloroethane, and pyridine. The block optical microscope equipped with a Mettle FP 82
copolymers had a were well-separated and hot stage and a FP 80 central processor were used
characterized by differential scanning calorimetry to analyze the anisotropic textures. Gel permeation
(DSC), optical polarizing microscopy (OPM), chromatography (GPC) was run on an Applied
viscometer, FTIR.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Proton nuclear magnetic resonance
Biosystem 400 solvent delivery system equipped
with UV and IR detectors.
Synthesis
The general synthetic routes of the
(1H NMR) spectra (400 MHz) were recorded on a intermediates and target molecule were shown in
Bruker AM 400 spectrometer. FTIR spectra were scheme 1. The purity and chemical structures of the
measured on a Nicolet 520 FTIR spectrometer. intermediates and target compounds could be easily
1
Thermal transitions and thermodynamic parameters verified by TLC and H-NMR spectroscopy. The
were determined using a Seiko SSC/5200 synthetic procedures and chemical analyses of each
differential scanning calorimeter equipped with a product were described sequentially below.
H
C
H
C
H
(
)
HOOC R
R COOH
n
+
CH2
(
)
1M
HOOC
O
O
COOH
6
+
(
)
( )
O CH2 OH
HO CH2
O
2M~6M
x
x
C2Cl6 / PPh3
pyridine
N2
H
C
H
(
)
COOR''
R'OOC
C
H
n
O
O
C
(
(
(
(
)
( )
O CH2
)
R'=
(
)
)
O
O
CH2
CH2
O
O
O C
O
O
CH2 6 O
m
x
x
O
)
(
)
)
R''=
(
CH2
O CH2 O C
O
C
x
x
6
m'
x=2,3,4,5,6
Scheme 1. Synthesis of copolymers 1P-5P

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LIN et al., Orient. J. Chem., Vol. 34(1), 125-133 (2018)
4,4’-Dicarboxy-1,6-diphenoxyhexane (1M)
Compound 3M was 81.5% yield. 1H NMR
(δ, CDCl3, TMS, 300 MHz): 1.87~1.89 (m, 4H, -CH2-
CH2-CH2-), 3.56~3.58 (t, 4H, -CH2-OH), 4.04~4.08
(t, 4H, -Ph-O-CH2-), 4.55~4.56 (t, 2H, -OH),
6.96~6.99 (d, 4H, aromatic protons), 7.50~7.53 (d,
4H, aromatic protons).
Ethyl 4-Hydroxybenzoate (3.33 g, 0.02
mol) and 1,6-dibromohexane (2.44 g, 0.01 mol) and
sodium carbonate (2.65 g) were added to DMF
(10 mL).The solution was heated to 150° for 4 hours
then was cooled to room temperature. The solution
slowly added to distilled water (1000 mL), put in
the refrigerator for at least 12 h, and then filtered
and dried. The crude product added potassium
hydroxide (2.8g, 0.05 mol) was dissolved in ethanol
(50 mL) and distilled water (10 mL). The solution
was refluxed for 4h then poured into distilled water
(2000 mL) heated to 60°, added concentrated
hydrochloric acid then put in the refrigerator for at
least 12 h, and then filtered and dried.The remaining
white solid was recrystallized from DMF/ethanol to
yield 2.69 g (75%). 1H-NMR (CDCl3,δ, ppm):1.57~1.62
(m, 4H, -CH2-CH2-CH2-), 1.84~1.92 (m, 4H, -O-CH2-
CH2-CH2), 4.09~4.13 (t, 4H, -Ph-O-CH2-CH2-),
7.06~7.14 (d, 4H, aromatic protons), 7.88~8.04 (d,
4H, aromatic protons). 12.56~12.72 (t, 2H, -COOH).
Compound 4M was 78.2% yield. 1H NMR
(δ, CDCl3, TMS, 300 MHz): 1.55~1.61 (m, 4H, -CH2-
CH2-OH), 1.72~1.81 (m, 4H, -Ph-O-CH2-CH2-),
3.44~3.57 (t, 4H, -CH2-OH), 3.98~4.08 (t, 4H, -Ph-
O-CH2-), 4.44~4.57 (t, 2H, -OH), 6.94~6.98 (d, 4H,
aromatic protons), 7.47~7.53 (d, 4H, aromatic
protons).
Compound 5M was 75.3% yield. 1H NMR
(δ, CDCl3, TMS, 300 MHz): 1.45~1.46 (m, 8H, -CH2-
CH2-CH2-), 1.71~1.76 (m, 4H, -Ph-O-CH2-CH2-),
3.38~3.42 (t, 4H, -CH2-OH), 3.96~4.02 (t, 4H, -Ph-
O-CH2-), 4.36~4.40 (t, 2H, -OH), 6.95~6.98 (d, 4H,
aromatic protons), 7.48~7.51 (d, 4H, aromatic
protons).
4,4’-Bis(2-hydroxyethyloxy) biphenyl (2M)
4,4’-Bis(3-hydroxypropyloxy) biphenyl (3M)
4,4’-Bis(4-hydroxybutyloxy) biphenyl (4M)
4,4’-Bis(5-hydroxypentyloxy) biphenyl (5M)
4,4’-Bis(6-hydroxyhexyloxy) biphenyl (6M)
Compounds 2M~6M were prepared by a
Synthesis of α,ω-dicarboxylic acid-terminated
polystyrene (PS precursor polymer) (PS)
Styrene (136 g, 1.31 mol) and 4,4’-azobis-
4-cyanovaleric acid (3.41 g) were dissolved in
600 mL of toluene under nitrogen in a two-necked
flask equipped with a reflux condenser. The solution
was stirred at 90 °C for 10 hours. After cooling, the
product was isolated by precipitation in methanol,
filtered, washed with water, and dried at 70 °C under
vacuum to yield PS polymer(90.8%). Molecule
weight obtained from GPC was Mn = 26918 g/mol,
Mw = 34724 g/mol, PDI = 1.29.
similar method. The synthesis of compound 6M is
described below. 4,4’-Dihydroxydiphenyl (9.3 g,
0.05 mol) and 6-chloro-1-hexanol (15.1 g, 0.11 mol)
were added to a solution of sodium hydroxide (4.4
g, 0.11 mol) in ethanol (200 mL, 95%). The solution
was heated to reflux for 20 h then was cooled and
the solid salt was removed by filtration. The
remaining solid was recrystallized from DMF/H2O
to yield 15.6 g (81%) of crystals. 1H-NMR (CDCl3, δ,
ppm): 1.37~1.44 (m, 12H, -CH2-CH2-CH2-),
1.68~1.76 (m, 4H, -Ph-O-CH2-CH2-), 3.36~3.40 (t,
4H, -CH2-OH), 3.95~3.99 (t, 4H, -Ph-O-CH2-),
4.35~4.38 (t, 2H, -OH), 6.95~6.98 (d, 4H, aromatic
protons), 7.49~7.52 (d, 4H, aromatic protons).
Synthesis of a liquid crystalline polymer (LCP2-6)
Polymers LCP2-6 were prepared with a
similar method.The synthesis of LCP2 is described
below.Triphenylphosphine (1.66 g, 6.32 mmol) and
hexachloroethane (1.49 g, 6.32 mmol) were
dissolved in 10.0 mL of pyridine under nitrogen
atmosphere. Compound 1M (0.57 g, 1.59mmol)
was added and the resulting solution was heated
to 140 °C for 15 minutes. The solution was cooled
to room temperature then added compound
2M (0.44 g, 1.59 mmol), the solution was stirred at
120 °C for 18 hours. After cooling, the resulting
solution was precipitated in 200 mL of methanol,
filtered, and stirred 30 mins.respectively.The product
Compound 2M was 65.3% yield.. 1H NMR
(δ, CDCl3, TMS, 300 MHz): 3.72~3.74 (t, 4H, -CH2-
OH), 3.99~4.03 (t, 4H, -Ph-O-CH2-), 4.86~4.87
(t, 2H, -OH), 6.98~7.00 (d, 4H, aromatic protons),
7.51~7.54 (d, 4H, aromatic protons).

128
was filtered and dried under vacuum to yield LCP2 copolymer was stirred in 250 mL of THF at room
LIN., Orient. J. Chem., Vol. 34(1), 125-133 (2018)
(0.89 g, 91.2%).
temperature for 24 h and then filtered. The dissolved
polymer was isolated by reprecipition in methanol,
Synthesis of PS based liquid crystalline block then filtered, and dried to form copolymer as “fraction
copolymers 1P-5P a”. Further, the undissolved part was stirred in 250
The synthetic procedure of copolymer mL of chlorobenzene at 100 °C for 24 h and filtered.
1P-5P is shown in Scheme 1. The series copolymers The dissolved polymer was isolated by
synthesized from PS precursor polymer, compound reprecipitation in methanol, and then dried to form
1M and compound 2M to 6M were marked as copolymer as “fraction b”. The received solid was
copolymer 1P-5P. This series reaction was reacted washed with acetone and methanol and then dried
by PS precursor polymer and LCP block weight ratio to form copolymer as “fraction c”. Table. 1
1:1. Copolymers 1P-5P were prepared with a similar summarizes the resulting ratios of these fractionated
method as the polyester copolymer 1P described copolymers.
below.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
The synthesis of copolymer 1P is here
described as an example. Triphenylphosphine
In this study, we synthesized six
(1.66 g, 6.32 mmol) and hexachloroethane (1.49 g, compounds(1M-6M), five liquid crystalline polymers
6.32 mmol) were dissolved in 7.0 mL of pyridine (LCP2-6), one PS precursor polymer and five
under nitrogen atmosphere. PS precursor polymer copolymers(1P-5P). The molecular structure and
(2.0 g) and compound 1M (1.13 g, 3.17 m mole) the general synthetic procedures of these
was then added and the resulting solution was compounds were shown in Scheme 1, and all the
heated to 140 °C for 15 minutes. The solution was final products were examined by the nuclear
cooled to room temperature then added compound magnetic resonance spectrometer in order to verify
2M (0.87g, 3.17mmol). Aftertheadditionwascompleted, the correction of the molecular structure. The thermal
the solution was stirred at 120 °C for 18 hours. After properties and liquid crystalline mesophase of
cooling, the resulting copolymer was precipitated in 200 compounds 2M-6M, LCP2-LCP6 and copolymer
mL of methanol, filtered and dried, respectively. The 1P-5P were measured using DSC and OPM.
product was dried at 70 °C under vacuum to yield
copolymer 1P (3.61 g, 90.2%).
The changes of phase transition
temperature and enthalpy of compounds 2M-6M
Preparation of fractional PS based liquid crystalline with five different length spacers were listed in Table
block copolymers (1a-5a, 1b-5b, and 1c-5c) 2. All the compounds 2M-6M exhibited an
The copolymers 1P-5P was further enantiotropic SB phase. Fig. 1A presents the optical
fractionated according to the steps. First, the polarizing microphotography of 6M, showed SB
Table. 1: Summarizes the resulting ratios of these fractionated
copolymers
Copolymers
Copolymer
Cpacer
Composition (wt.%)
Fraction a
Fraction b
Fraction c
1P
2P
3P
4P
5P
2
3
4
5
6
88.1
66.5
65.7
79.7
88.9
8.4
15.7
29.5
11.2
7.3
3.5
17.8
4.8
9.1
3.8

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LIN et al., Orient. J. Chem., Vol. 34(1), 125-133 (2018)
phase texture at 165.9°. Fig. 2 depicts a DSC
analysis diagram of compounds 2M-6M. According
to the results presented by Table. 2 and Fig. 2,
compounds 2M-6M show an odd-even effect; the
compounds with even number of alkyl spacer
(2M, 4M, 6M) have wider liquid crystal phase
temperature range than the compounds with the
odd one (3M, 5M). Furthermore, the isotropic
temperature of the compounds decreases when
the length of the alkyl spacer increases.
The thermal analysis data and intrinsic
viscosity (I.V.) values of liquid crystalline polymers
(LCP2-6) are listed in Table 3. The Tg of LCP2-6
decreases with the increase of their alkyl spacer
length. Additionally, the Tm of LCP2-6 also exhibits
an odd-even effect. The I.V. values of LCP2-6 are
between 0.066~0.183(dL/g); it increased with the
increase of alkyl chain number of the spacer,
indicating that longer soft chain compound has a
better solubility.
(b)
(a)
Fig. 1. Optical polarizing microphotography of (A) 6M and (B) copolymer 5b
Fig. 2. DSC analysis diagram of compounds 2M-6M

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LIN., Orient. J. Chem., Vol. 34(1), 125-133 (2018)
Table. 2:The changes of phase transition temperature and enthalpy of compounds 2M-6M
Table. 2:The changes of phase transition temperature and enthalpy of compounds 2M-6M
Compound
n
Phase transitions,°C(corresponding enthalpy changes, mJ/mg)
2M
3M
4M
5M
6M
2
3
4
5
6
K=crystal, SB=smectic B, I=isotropic
Table. 3: Characterization of liquid crystalline polymer (LCP2-6)
wt. loss(%) I.V.b(dL/g)
a
polymer
Tg(°C)
Tm(°C)
ΔHm (mJ/mg) ΔHi(mJ/mg)
Td (°C)
LCP2
LCP3
LCP4
LCP5
LCP6
55.6
53.6
48.7
33.3
29.6
136.8
208.2
159.0
180.6
156.1
-
-
15.00
73.60
31.90
5.95
395.4
382.3
378.5
384.6
392.4
80.00
73.22
87.50
90.10
90.20
0.067
0.066
0.127
0.183
0.123
0.5
48.65
35.01
35.33
a
Td is the decomposition temperature obtained by TGA
Intrinsic viscosity (I.V.) is obtained by dissolution of block liquid crystalline polymer in 4-chlorophenol/
b
1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane(20/80% by weight) at 70 °C
Scheme 1 showed the synthetic path for
the preparation of PS based liquid crystalline block
copolymers. The polymer of the carboxylic
acid-terminated PS precursor was prepared by a
free radical polymerization of styrene using
4,4’-azobis(4-cyanovaleric acid) as initiator based
on a procedure reported in the literature18 The
number average molecular weight of the PS
precursor polymer was 2.7× 104 g/mol. The Polymer
was determined by NMR end group analysis and
titration method. Its functionality was 1.8. This result
means that the coupling predominately occurred in
the termination step.
polymer in pyridine in the presence of
triphenylphosphine dichloride. Since there was a
larger amount of PS precursor polymer than 1M
and 2M-6M at the beginning of the reaction, it
provided more opportunity to form the block
copolymers of PS and LCP.
Table. 1 summarizes the results of the
copolymerization by condensation. The obtained
copolymers were fractionated into three fractions:
1a-5a were THF soluble fraction, 1b-5b were
chlorobenzene soluble fraction, and 1c-5c were
chlorobenzene insoluble fraction. Fig. 3 showed the
PS precursor polymer, block copolymers 2a, 2b,
2c, and LCP2 of FT-IR spectra. The PS precursor
polymer and LCP2 reveal the following; the special
absorption bands at 2923 cm-1 and 2850 cm-1 are
attributed to the -CH2 stretching absorption of the
PS precursor polymer. The absorption band at 1736
cm-1 could be due to the C=O stretching absorption
The PS precursor polymer was subjected
to solution condensation with 1M and 2M-6M in
pyridine using triphenylphosphine dichloride as a
condensation agent14,15. In this study, used solution
condensation method.The 1M and 2M-6M
were added dropwise to the solution of PS precursor

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LIN et al., Orient. J. Chem., Vol. 34(1), 125-133 (2018)
in the spectrum of LCP.This special absorption can
be used to estimate the ratio of PS polymer block
and LCP block in the resulting copolymer. In order
to understand the nature of the copolymer produced,
the THF soluble fractions, copolymer 1a-5a, were
characterized by GPC, IR, DSC, andTGA.The GPC,
DSC, and TGA results were summarized in Table 4.
GPC obtained the relative molecular weights. This
results demonstrate that a small amount of chain
extensions from PS core occurred in these block
copolymers. Moreover, the Tg and decomposition
temperature (Td) values of 1a-5a were very close to
PS precursor polymer. Fig. 3A and 3B showed the
IR spectra of PS precursor polymer and copolymer
2a, respectively. By the observation of C=O
stretching absorption band(1736 cm-1), It’s worth
noting that only a small number of LCP segments
were present in the copolymer 2a. All these results
explain that the THF soluble fractions(copolymer
1a-5a) belong to the PS precursor polymer
extended with a short LCP segments.
Fig. 3. FTIR spectra of (A) PS, (B) copolymer 2a, (C)
copolymer 2b, (D) copolymer 2c, (E) LCP2
Table. 4: Characterization of copolymers that were soluble in THF(1a-5a)
a
polymer
Tg1(°C)
Tg2(°C)
Tm(°C)
Ti(°C)
Td (°C)
Mn
Mw/Mn
PS
1a
2a
3a
4a
5a
26918
37753
38281
38562
34848
38324
1.29
1.13
1.40
1.14
1.14
1.13
-
97.0
100.5
90.9
98.2
97.4
96.7
363.3
378.5
368.4
366.0
386.5
370.5
53.5
46.6
28.6
23.0
21.3
169.2
173.4
152.7
200.6
143.7
176.3
204.3
172.0
232.8
229.8
a
Td was the decomposition temperature obtained by TGA

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LIN., Orient. J. Chem., Vol. 34(1), 125-133 (2018)
Table. 5: Characterization of copolymers that were soluble in chlorobenzene at 100°(1b-5b)
wt. loss(%) I.V.b(dL/g)
a
polymer
Tg1(°C)
Tg2(°C)
Tm(°C)
ΔH (mJ/mg)
Td (°C)
PS
1b
2b
3b
4b
5b
-
-
97.0
-
101.7
91.4
91.3
85.4
-
-
363.3
392.4
376.7
389.0
384.5
383.3
-
0.14
0.18
0.18
0.19
0.22
0.22
137.7
222.1
174.4
146.8
135.2
7.5
74.2
77.2
67.4
66.5
74.2
51.0
34.1
31.9
27.4
40.3
33.5
19.2
15.7
a
Td is the decomposition temperature obtained by TGA
b Intrinsic viscosity (I.V.) is obtained by dissolution of block copolymer in 4-chlorophenol/1,1,2,2-
tetrachloroethane(20/80% by weight) at 70 °C
Further, we selected chlorobenzene as the polystyrene matrix. Thermogravimetric analyses of
host solvent. Copolymers of THF-insoluble were 1b-5b reveal that all these block copolymers were
further fractionated into chlorobenzene soluble thermally stable up to 380 °C. The I.V. values of 1b-
5b were larger than those of the PS precursor
polymer and LCP polymer. This indicates that the
true block copolymers were found.
fractions 1b-5b and insoluble fractions 1c-5c.
Fig. 3D showed 2c of the IR spectrum inferred that
the chlorobenzene insoluble fraction contained
predominately the LCP2 polymers (Fig. 3E). The
chlorobenzene soluble fractions 1b-5b seemed to
be the block copolymers of PS and LCP. Fig. 3C
showed the IR spectrum of 2b, and both
characteristics of PS and LCP block were presented
in this spectrum.
CONCLUSIONS
PS and LCP Block copolymers were
prepared by solution condensation of telechelic PS
with 4,4’-dicarboxy-1,6-diphenoxyhexane and
4,4’-bis(2-hydroxyethyloxy) biphenyls monomers.
The received products were fractionated to isolate
the most appropriated block copolymers. The IR
spectrum of 1b-5b showed the -CH2 stretching
absorption from PS precursor segment and the C=O
stretching absorption from LCP segment. The I.V.
values of 1b-5b were larger than those of the PS
precursor polymer and LCP polymer. These indicate
that the true block copolymers were found. The block
copolymers reveal a microphase-separated
morphology, i.e., both amorphous by the PS and
LCP block respectively. Optical microscopy verified
the presence of a smectic liquid crystalline phase.
As a result, the block copolymers have potential
The thermal analysis data of 1b-5b and
their intrinsic viscosity (I.V.) values, which were
measured by dissolving the block copolymers in
4-chlorophenol/1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (20/80%
by weight) at 70 °C, are summarized in Table. 5.
Their glass transition, which appeared at about
100 °C, could be attributed to the block movements
from PS segments; and the melting endothermic
peak presented at about 135~220 °C, can be
referred to the crystalline-to-sematic phase transition
of LCP2-6 block. Both transitions were very close to
that of PS precursor polymer and LCP
homopolymer. These results clearly indicated a
microphase-separated morphology for the block applications in the field of polymer blends.
copolymers. Fig. 1B showed the optical polarizing
microphotography of copolymer 5b, displayed a
smectic phase texture at 92.2°. The texture illustrates
the bright region belonged to liquid crystal segment,
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Research was supported in part by Chang
and the dark region belonged to the PS segment. Gung University of Science and Technology. Grant
Basically, the LC domains were dispersed in the EZRPF3G01710EZRPF3G0181.

133
LIN et al., Orient. J. Chem., Vol. 34(1), 125-133 (2018)
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