This research seeks to establish the fundamental science of polymer liquid crystals (PLCs) and their properties via a collaborative effort involving synthesis, characterization and theory. The approach is to devise theoretical models of PLC behavior, simulate their properties using computer techniques, prepare chemical systems emulating the theoretical models, characterize their structures and properties, correlate the experimental results with the theory and iterate the process to optimize properties and bring theory and experiment into agreement. The PLCs have potential applications as electromagnetic or optical storage devices, as well as high performance polymers. The polymers to be synthesized are designed to be biphasic, with independent motion of the side groups and the polymer backbone. The materials will be characterized by NMR, x-ray, dielectric and other measurements. A new high magnetic field system field system will be used to orient samples for structural characterization.
