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Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals
Published on: May 29, 2018
Mesogene-polymer backbone coupling in side-chain polymer liquid crystals, studied by high magnetic-field-induced
M I Boamfa1, K Viertler, A Wewerka
1Research Institute for Materials, High Field Magnet Laboratory, University of Nijmegen, Toernoiveld 1, 6525 ED, The Netherlands. boamfa@sci.kun.nl
Abstract:
We show that cooling side chain polymer liquid crystals in a magnetic field, from the isotropic to nematic and subsequently to the glass phase, results in a macroscopically ordered, transparent, and strongly birefringent material. The aligned samples retain their properties after the field is removed and can be dealigned only by heating them to the isotropic phase. To induce alignment, a threshold field B(th) is necessary, which strongly depends on the chemical structure details. B(th) reflects the strength of mesogene-polymer backbone coupling, and we will show that this interaction is responsible for the stability of the induced alignment at zero field.
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