Side-chain functionalized liquid crystalline polymers and blends, 10: phase behavior and structure of side-chain liquid crystalline ionomers containing ions of d-metals

Novel side-chain liquid crystalline (LC) ionomers containing d-metals Co(II) and Ni(II) were synthesized and characterized. Both families of the ionomers are characterized by the same influence of charged group content in polymer on their phase behavior. The incorporation of 2–3 mol% of metal ions in the nematic polymer matrix leads to the induction of SmA phase and rise in the clearing point. The peculiarity of their phase behavior in comparison with the earlier investigated LC ionomers with alkaline or alkali-earth metals is the full destruction of the mesophase at the concentration of d-metal higher than 12 mol%. This phenomenon was associated with the well-known ability of the transition metal ions to form various complexes that, in the case of LC ionomers, can negatively influence the ordering of the side mesogenic groups. The proposed structure of the LC ionomers is discussed in comparison with the metallomesogenic polymer systems.