The synthesis of a new series of polysiloxane-based, main-chain liquid crystal elastomers (MC-LCEs) containing unsymmetric mesogenic units is described. The structure of the mesogenic monomers, spacers and cross-linkers has been varied systematically in order to tune the thermotropic behaviour of the networks. Three unsymmetric mesogens were studied, characterised by having two aromatic rings as the rigid core and two different alkoxy chains. Smectic A or nematic phases were observed, depending on the length of the alkoxy chains. These mesogens were combined with three different spacers, a flexible hexamethyltrisiloxane (S1) and two aromatic bis(dimethylsilyloxy)benzene with the silyl groups disposed para (S2) or meta (S3). To form the MC-LCEs, two cross-linkers were chosen, one flexible 2,4,6,8-tetramethylcyclooctasiloxane (C1) and a rigid, aromatic tris(dimethylsilyl)benzene (C2). The elastomers showed low glass transition temperatures (below 0 °C) and low clearing temperatures (between 30 and 72 °C), as such presenting liquid crystalline properties at room temperature. The transition temperatures could be tuned by a simple choice of the components; for instance, the clearing temperature decreased as aromatic spacers or cross-linkers were introduced. In contrast, the glass transition temperature did not depend on the cross-linker or mesogen used and showed only a small dependence on the structure of the spacer. The phase behaviour of the MC-LCEs was affected greatly by the spacer used and networks containing the trisiloxane spacer systematically exhibited the smectic C phase. The insertion of aromatic spacers favoured the formation of a nematic phase over a smectic phase when the flexible cross-linker, C1, was used. This behaviour was enhanced by the addition of the aromatic cross-linker C3, so that the smectic C phase was suppressed totally and only a nematic phase was observed. The synthesis of the components of MC-LCEs is presented and the structure–thermal properties relationships of the MC-LCEs are discussed.
描述了一系列含有不对称介晶单元的新型聚
硅氧烷基主链液晶弹性体(MC-LCE)的合成。为了调节网络的热致行为,介晶单体、间隔基和
交联剂的结构已被系统地改变。研究了三种不对称介晶,其特征是具有两个芳环作为刚性核心和两个不同的烷氧基链。观察到近晶 A 相或向列相,具体取决于烷氧基链的长度。这些介晶与三种不同的间隔基、柔性六甲基三
硅氧烷(S1)和两个芳香族双(二甲基
硅氧基)苯组合,其中甲
硅烷基位于对位(S2)或间位(S3)。为了形成 MC-LCE,选择了两种
交联剂,一种是柔性 2,4,6,8-四甲基环八
硅氧烷 (C1),另一种是刚性芳香族三(二甲基甲
硅烷基)苯 (C2)。该弹性体表现出低
玻璃化转变温度(低于 0 °C)和低澄清温度(30 至 72 °C 之间),因此在室温下呈现液晶特性。转变温度可以通过简单地选择组件来调节;例如,随着芳香族间隔基或
交联剂的引入,澄清温度降低。相反,
玻璃化转变温度不取决于所使用的
交联剂或介晶,并且仅显示出对间隔物的结构的较小依赖性。 MC-LCE 的相行为很大程度上受所用间隔基的影响,并且包含三
硅氧烷间隔基的网络系统地表现出近晶 C 相。当使用柔性
交联剂 C1 时,芳香族间隔基的插入有利于向列相的形成,而不是近晶相的形成。添加芳香族
交联剂 C3 增强了这种行为,从而完全抑制了近晶 C 相,仅观察到向列相。介绍了 MC-LCE 组分的合成,并讨论了 MC-LCE 的结构-热性能关系。