HYBRID LIQUID-CRYSTALLINE BLOCK-COPOLYMERS BASED ON POLYSTYRENE AND POLYESTER BLOCKS

The synthesis and some thermal and dynamic-mechanical properties of a novel class of hybrid block copolymers comprised of polystyrene and liquid-crystalline polyester blocks are reported. The two blocks appear to be incompatible in the solid and melt phases and undergo distinct thermal transitions. The mesophase transition temperatures of the block copolymers are constant within all the composition range. The mesophase transition enthalpies are directly proportional to the weight fraction of the liquid-crystalline polyester block.