Monodisperse Liquid Crystal Network Particles Synthesized via Precipitation Polymerization.

ABSTRACT: The production of liquid crystalline (LC) polymer particles with a narrow size distribution on a large scale remains a challenge. Here, we report the preparation of monodisperse, cross-linked liquid crystalline particles via precipitation polymerization. This versatile and scalable method yields polymer particles with a smectic liquid crystal order. Although the LC monomers are randomly dissolved in solution, the oligomers self-align and LC order is induced. For the polymerization, a smectic LC monomer mixture consisting of cross-linkers and benzoic acid hydrogen-bonded dimers is used. The average diameter of the particles increases at higher polymerization temperatures and in better solvents, whereas the monomer and initiator concentration have only minor impact on the particle size. Afte

SUBMITTER: Liu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6854653 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature