In situ deuteron NMR investigations of sheared liquid crystalline polymers.
The flow behavior of nematic liquid crystalline polysiloxanes of the side-chain type is studied by in situ 2H NMR spectroscopy on samples under shear in a cone-and-plate cell. The director orientation as a function of applied shear rate is determined from the quadrupole splitting of the spectra. The data analysis yields the two Leslie viscosity coefficients alpha2 and alpha3 and the flow-alignment parameter lambda = -(alpha3 + alpha2)/(alpha3 - alpha2). The values of lambda were determined for several homopolymers with only one type of side chain and random copolymers containing two different side chains. The results show that the flow behavior is related to the phase structure of the polymers, which varies with their composition. Only polymers with large amounts of smectic clusters in the nematic state show the tumbling instability (absolute value(lambda) < 1); other polymers are flow aligning (absolute value(lambda) > or = 1). For some polymers, a transition from tumbling at low temperature to flow aligning at high temperatures was observed.
Siebert
Hartmut
H
Institut für Makromolekulare Chemie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Str. 31, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.
Becker
Patrick
P
Quijada-Garrido
Isabel
I
Grabowski
David A
DA
Schmidt
Claudia
C
D003198:Computer Simulation; D003903:Deuterium; D004867:Equipment Design; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012212:Rheology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014783:Viscosity
D011108:Polymers; C422409:liquid crystal polymer; D003903:Deuterium