• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.169-177
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• 2008

The thermal and optical properties of cellulose tri(cholesteryloxy) carbonate(CCE0) and cellulose tri(cholesteryloxycarbonyl)alkanoates (CCEn, n=$2{\sim}8$, 10, the number of methylene units in the spacer) were investigated. CCE0 formed an enantiotropic cholesteric phase, whereas all the CCEn exhibited monotropic cholesteric phases. CCEn with n=$3{\sim}8$ formed cholesteric phases with left-handed helical structures whose optical pitches (${\lambda}_m's$) decrease with increasing temperature. On the other hand, CCE0 and CCEn with n=2 or 10 did not display reflection colors over the full cholesteric range, suggesting that the helical twisting power of the cholesteryl group highly depends on the length of the spacer connecting the cholesteryl group to the main chain. The thermal stability and degree of order in the mesophase and the temperature dependence of the ${\lambda}_m$ observed for CCEn highly depended on n. The results were discussed in terms of the differences in the internal plasticization, the arrangement of the side groups, and the conformation of the molecules.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.489-496
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• 2008

The thermotropic liquid crystalline behavior of a homologous series of poly[1-{4-(4' nitrophenylazo) phenoxycarbonylalkanoyloxy}ethylene]s (NAPEn, n = $2{\sim}8$,10, the number of methylene units in the spacer) have been investigated. All of the homologues formed monotropic nematic phases. The glass transition temperatures decreased with n. This is attributed to a plasticization of the backbone by the side chains. The isotropic-nematic phase transition temperatures decreased with increasing n up to 7 and showed the odd-even effect. However it became almost constant when n is more than 7. This behavior was rationalized in terms of the change in the average shape of the side chain on varing the parity of the spacer. This rationalization also accounts for the observed variation of the entropic gain for the clearing transition. The mesophase properties of NAPEn were entirely different from those reported for the polymers in which the azobenzene groups are attached to polyacrylate, polymathacrylate, and polystyrene backbones through polymethylene spacers. The results indicate that the mode of chemical linkage of the side group with the main chain plays an important role in the formation, stabilization, and type of mesophase.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.603-611
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• 2009

Thermotropic liquid crystalline behavior of a homologous series of penta-O-4-{4'-(cyanophenylazo)phenoxy}alkyl-D-glucopyranoses(CAGETn, n = 2~10, the number of methylene units in the spacer) has been investigated. The CAGETn with n of 2 and 7 exhibited enantiotropic nematic phases whereas other derivatives showed monotropic nematic phases. This is the first report of glucose derivatives that form thermotropic nematic phases. The isotropic-nematic transition temperatures ($T_{iNS}$) of CAGETns and their entropy variation at $T_{iN}$ showed the odd-even effect as a function of n. This behavior was rationalized in terms of the change in the average shape of the side chains as the parity of the spacer is varied. This rationalization also accounts for the observed variation of nematic-crystalline phase transition temperatures ($T_{NkS}$) and associoated entropy change at $T_{Nk}$. The entropy change at $T_{iN}$ or $T_{Nk}$ reaches a mininum at n = 3, before it increases again for n = 4. This may be attributed to the difference in the arrangement of the side groups. The mesophase properties of CAGETns were entirely different from those reported for partially or fully alkylated glucopyranoses. This result suggests that the degree of substitution and chemical structure of the substituents play an important role in the formation of the mesophase structures in the liquid crystals.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.475-482
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• 2007

The thermal and optical properties of glucose penta(cholesteryloxycarbonyl)alkanoates (CAGLn, n = 2~8, 10, the number of methylene units in the spacer) were investigated. All the CAGLn formed monotropic cholesteric phases with left-handed helical structures. CAGLn with n = 2 or 10, in contrast with CAGLn with $3{\leq}n{\leq}8$, did not display reflection colors over the full cholesteric range, suggesting that the helical twisting power of the cholesteryl group highly depends on the length of the spacer joining the cholesteryl group to the glucose chain. The isotropic-cholesteric transition point ($T_{ic}$) decreased with increasing n and showed no odd-even effect. The plot of transition entropy at $T_{ic}$ against n had a sharp negative inflection at n = 7. The optical pitches (${{\lambda}_m}^{\prime}$ s) of CAGLn with $3{\leq}n{\leq}8$ decreased with increasing temperature. However, the temperature dependence of the ${\lambda}_m$ of the derivatives exhibited pronounced dependence on n. The transitional properties and the temperature dependence of the ${\lambda}_m$ observed for CAGLn were discussed in terms of the differences in arrangement of the cholesteryl groups and the conformation of the molecules.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.230-237
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• 2010

A homologous series of linear liquid crystal dimers, ${\alpha},{\omega}$-bis(4-nitroazobenzene-4'-carbonyloxy)alkanes (NATWESn, n = 2~8, 10, the number of methylene units in the spacer) have been synthesized, and the thermal behavior of the series has been investigated. All the dimers formed enantiotropic nematic phases. The nematic-isotropic transition temperatures of the dimers and their entropy variation at the phase transition showed a large odd-even effect as a function of n. This behavior was rationalized in terms of the change in the average shape of the spacer on varing the parity of the spacer. The thermal stability and degree of order in the nematic phase and the magnitude of the odd-even effect of NATWESn were very similar to those of the corresponding ether compounds, while they were significantly different from those of the monomesogenic compounds, 4-{4'-(nitrophenylazo)phenoxy}alkanoyl chlorides and the side-chain liquid-crystalline polymers, the poly[1-{4-(4'-nitrophenylazo) phenoxycarbonylalkanoyloxy}ethylene]s. The results were discussed in terms of the 'irtual trimer model'by Imrie.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.276-287
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• 2013

Two kinds of N,O-hydroxypropyl chitosans (HPCTOs) with degree of substitution (DS) and molar substitution (MS) ranging from 2.15 to 2.39 and 2.9 to 4.1, respectively, and five kinds of aliphatic acid esters of HPCTOs (HPCTOAms, m=0,2,4,7,9, the number of methylene units in aliphatic substituent) based on the HPCTOs were synthesized, and the thermotropic liquid crystalline properties of the derivatives were investigated. All the derivatives formed enantiotropic cholesteric phases whose optical pitches (${\lambda}_m$'s) increased with increasing temperature. However, the glass and clearing temperatures, the magnitude of ${\lambda}_m$ of the mesophase at the same temperature, and the temperature dependence of ${\lambda}_m$ of the investigated derivatives highly depended on MS and m. The thermotropic mesophase properties of HPCTOAms were significantly different from those reported for the aliphatic acid esters of hydroxypropyl celluloses. The results indicate that the secondary amino group in the C-2 position plays an important role in the thermal stabilization and temperature dependence of ${\lambda}_m$ of the cholesteric mesophase.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.358-366
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• 2011

A homologous series of linear liquid crystal dimers, the ${\alpha},{\omega}$-bis(4-cyano-azobenzene-4'-oxy)alkanes (CATWETn, where n, the number of methylene units in the spacer, is 2~10) were synthesized, and their thermotropic liquid crystalline phase behavior were investigated. The CATWETn with n of 3 and 6 exhibited monotropic nematic phases, whereas other derivatives showed enantiotropic nematic phases. The nematic-isotropic transition temperatures of the dimers and their entropy variation at the phase transition showed a large odd-even effect as a function of n. This phase transition behavior was rationalized in terms of the change in the average shape of the spacer on varying the parity of the spacer. The thermal stability and degree of order in the nematic phase and the magnitude of the odd-even effect of CATWETn were similar to those for the methoxy-, nitro-, and pentyl-substituted dimers, while they were significantly different from those for the monomesogenic compounds, 1-{4-(4'-cyanophenylazo)phenoxy}alkylbromides and the side-chain liquid-crystalline polymers, the poly[1-{4-(4'-cyanophenylazo)phenoxyalkyloxy}ethylene]s. The results were discussed in terms of 'virtual trimer model' by Imrie.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.297-306
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• 2009

A homologous series of side chain liquid crystalline polymers, poly [1-{4-(4'-cyanophenylazo)phenoxyalkyloxy}ethylene]s(CAPETn, where n, the number of methylene units in the spacer, is $2{\sim}10$) were synthesized from poly(vinyl alcohol) and 1-{4-(4'-cyanophenylazo)phenoxy}alkylbromides(CAPBn, n=$2{\sim}10$), and their thermotropic liquid crystalline phase behaviors were investigated. The CAPBn with n of $2{\sim}5$ did not show any liquid crystalline behavior, while those with n of 6 and $7{\sim}10$ showed enantiotropic and monotropic nematic phases, respectively. In contrast, among the CAPETn polymers, only CAPET5 exhibited an enantiotropic nematic phase, while other polymers showed monotropic nematic phases. The isotropic-nematic transition temperatures of CAPETns and their entropy variation at the phase transition that were higher values than those of CAPBns, demonstrated a typical odd-even effect as a function of n. These phase transition behaviors were disscussed in terms of the 'virtual trimer model' by Imrie. The mesophase properties of CAPETns were largely different from those reported for the polymers in which the (cyanophenylazo) phenoxy groups are attached to polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, and polystyrene backbones through polymethylene spacers. The results indicate that the mode of chemical linkage of the side group with the main chain plays an important role in the formation, stabilization, and type of mesophase.