title: Phase diagrams of monomer and uv-cured difunctional-acrylate-nematic-liquid-crystal systems.
abstract: This paper deals with the thermal properties of systems made of the difunctional monomer 1,6-hexanedioldiacrylate (HDDA) and the low-molecular-weight liquid crystal E7. Experimental phase diagrams of uv-cured and uncured solutions of HDDA/E7 systems are established with a polarized optical microscope and a differential scanning calorimeter and the data analyzed within a theoretical formalism that combines the Flory-Huggins model of isotropic mixing and the Maier-Saupe model of nematic order. Ultraviolet-curing samples with a difunctional monomer such as HDDA leads to a crosslinked polymer network and consequently an elastic contribution to the free energy is introduced according to the Flory-Rehner theory of rubber elasticity. The amount of liquid crystal segregated is evaluated to assess the efficiency of the phase separation mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Thermophysique de la Matière Condensée, Equipe de l'UPRESA CNRS 8024, Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale, MREID, F-59140 Dunkerque, France. Frederick.Roussel@purple.univ-littoral.fr
authors.forename: Frédérick
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Roussel
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Maschke
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Buisine
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Coqueret
authors.forename: Mustapha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benmouna