Advisor

Three segmented main-chain thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers (TLCPs) functionalized with nitrogen-containing heterocyclic groups were synthesized; namely PyHQ12 having pendent pyridyl group, PABP having side-chain azopyridyl group with flexible spacer, and PTBP containing side-chain terpyridine group with flexible spacer. The principles of specific interactions were applied to prepare supramolecular structures and organoclay or clay nanocomposites based on these functional TLCPs. Three combined main-chain/side-chain liquid-crystalline polymers (MCSCLCPs) were prepared via hydrogen bonding or ionic interactions based on PyHQ12 and PABP. The presence of hydrogen bonds in self-assembled PyHQ12−7CNCOOH and PABP−AA, and the presence of ionic interactions in self-assembled PABP−TSA, which exist above their respective clearing temperatures, were confirmed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, the thermal transitions in each MCSCLCP were determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the mesophase structures of each self-assembled MCSCLCP were characterized using polarized optical microscopy (POM) an