Abstract
A new type of side-chain liquid-crystalline polysiloxane was synthesised by graft copolymerisation, using (trans, trans)-4-propyl-4'-vinylbicyclohexane exhibiting platelet texture of a blue phase as a mesogenic monomer. The graft copolymerisation was confirmed by characterising the chemical structure of the mesogenic monomer and the polymer by FT-IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR. Microstructures of the mesogenic monomer and the polymer were analysed by polarising optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Thermal properties of the mesogenic monomer and the polymer were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Meanwhile, the spherulite texture of the polymeric smectic A phase of the mesogenic polymer was revealed in the cooling process by polarising optical microscopy. This texture is uncommon in other liquid crystalline polymers.