ABSTRACT
Liquid crystals (LCs) represent a special category of materials with remarkable properties that arise from their molecular order that ranges between common liquids and solids. The self-aligning ability is also found in some macromolecular compounds, which exhibit similar mesophases characteristic of LCs, yet maintain certain useful features of polymers (Drzaic 1995, Cosutchi et al. 2010). One of the main characteristic of these compounds is the elongated shape of macromolecules and their intrinsic disposition toward alignment. However, polymers with LC character are able to form a regular lattice as in crystalline solids, but the strength of intermolecular forces is not of the same magnitude. In these conditions, “crystalline” character of liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) can be attributed to orientational order of the macromolecules, while their uidity is determined by the lack of positional order (Brostow 1998). The liquid-solid duality generates the “anomalous” behavior of these organic materials. The unique dynamics of LCPs lies at the basis of creation of novel highperformance products with unique abilities.
