This three-year award supports U.S.-France cooperative research between Benny D. Freeman of North Carolina State University, and Claudine Noel of the Ecole Superieure for Physics and Industrial Chemistry in Paris, France. The research focuses on mainchain liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs). The investigators propose to determine the effect of systematic structure changes on phase morphology, thermal properties, and penetrant sorption and transport properties of LCPs. LCPs offer promise as thermal or chemical resistant barrier films and coatings of potential use to the chemical processing industry. Recent studies of LCPs suggest that these materials are among the most impermeable barrier polymers currently available. However, practical difficulties have limited the success of studies to date in decoupling chemical and morphological effects on the transport properties of small molecules through these polymers. The investigators propose to advance understanding of the effects of LCPs' molecular structure on penetrant sorption and transport properties and, in turn, determine their high barrier properties. At North Carolina State, the sorption and transport properties of small molecules in these polymers will be studied; whereas, the French research group will conduct studies on characterization and their thermal properties. The novel polymeric materials for this study will be provided by Hoechst Celanese and Miles Laboratories. The collaboration takes advantage of the expertise of the investigators and complementary approaches to this problem.
