ASSIGNMENT 01

Liquid Crystal Polymers

Md. Mehidi Hasan

1627014

09-11-2020
What are LCPs? Why do LCPs show crystallinity in its liquid state?

 Liquid Crystalline Polymers (LCPs) are a special type of thermoplastics that exhibit
properties between highly ordered solid crystalline materials and amorphous
disordered liquids over a well-defined temperature range. Liquid crystal exhibit an
intermediate phase (mesophase) between solid phase and isotropic liquid phase. LCPs
are composed of anisotropic solid like materials known as the mesogens which give
the LCPs the crystallinity property although it has isotropic liquid phase in it. The
mesogens are strongly bonded in the backbone or in the side chain of the polymer.
The mesogens can be of various shapes such as – rods, helices, discs, planks, etc.
which are rigid in nature and are responsible for the anisotropic properties and show
crystallinity in LCPs.

What are the unique characteristics of LCPs?

 Some of the unique properties are listed below;

1. Liquid crystal polymer is optically birefringent, due to its orientational order.
2. Liquid crystal polymers are highly unreactive and inert.
3. They are highly resistant to fire.
4. Liquid crystals can flow like a liquid, due to loss of positional order.
5. LCPs have excellent chemical resistance and are bio compatibles.
6. They are excellent fire retardant and have good dielectric properties.
7. LCPs have high strength due to the rigidity and orderness of the solid state or
mesogens.

What are the different phases of LCPs?

 Phases in LCPs refer to the different categories of mesophases in LCPs, which are
discussed below;
1. Nematic: In a nematic phase, rod-shaped mesogens have no positional order,
but they self-align to have long-range directional order with their long axes
roughly parallel. Thus, the molecules are free to flow and their center of mass
positions are randomly distributed as in a liquid, but still maintain their long-
range directional order. It has low viscosity regard to polymer processing.

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 Figure 01: Nematic phase.

2. Smectic:  Smectic phase is characterized by arrangement of molecules in

layers with the long molecular axes in a given layer being parallel to one
another. In this phase the mesogens are ordered in 3D structure forming
ordered parallel layer structure. It provides a high viscose mesogens in LCPs.
Smectic are of two types – Smectic A and Smectic C. The basic difference
between these two types are the orientational differences in the structure.

Figure 02: Smectic A and C phases.

3. Cholestric: In Cholestric phase, there is orientational order and no positional

order but director is in helical order. In cholestric phase if the mesogens are
oriented parallel to one another, the directions vary from one layer to another.
The opacity is the highest among the other phases in cholestric phase. The
structure of cholestric depends on the pitch,( the distance over which the
director makes one complete turn). Cholestric is basically chiral nematic
phase.

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 Figure 03: Cholestric phase

Discuss the synthesis of commercial TLCP (Celanese).

 Commercial TLCP synthesis has been discussed below;
The main component of LCP is 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA). This inexpensive
ingredient is mixed into linear aromatic polyesters and provides them with a rod-like
structure. Unfortunately the homopolymer has a melting of greater than 500 °C and
only slightly soluble in pentafluorophenol. Accordingly, co-monomers such as 6-
hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (HNA) are added to make the polymers process able by
decreasing the melting point, so that commercial LCP's are always
copolymers. Figure 04 represents the basic polymerization reaction for the synthesis
of Vectra, a copolymer of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid.

Figure 04: Synthesis route of Vectra

The industrial polymerization procedure consists of acetylating the components with

acetic anhydride, followed by heating above 325 °C under a vacuum to eliminate
acetic acid and form high polymer. Sodium or calcium acetate is present in small
amounts.

What are the aspects of polymers in biomedical sector?

 There are various aspects of polymers in biomedical sector. Some of them are
enlisted;

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1. Applications based on thermotropic nematic LCs are biosensors and
ophthalmic lens.
2. LC and polymer composite can help test the quality of lipoprotein, because its
surface energy is electrically switchable.
3. LCPs can be used in intraocular pressure monitoring due to its low dielectric
constant.
4. Biopolymer cellulose can be used in cell implantation.
5. Polylactides (PLA) are used in orthopedic fixation, ligaments, tendons and
artificial vessels etc.
6. Polyhydroxyal Kanoates (PHA) is used in medical clothing.
7. Polymer polylysine is used in biosensors, encapsulation of drugs etc.

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