Discotic liquid crystalline block copolymers 1: Side-chain discotic liquid crystalline diblock copolymers

In this paper we describe the synthesis of diblock copolymers based on a polystyrene backbone and containing one side-chain discotic liquid crystalline block. Evidence for the desired microphase separation and long-range ordering of the microphase separated structures in these polymers is less clear than it is for the di- and triblock copolymers with one main-chaindiscotic block described in the accompanying paper, However, when HAT4 or HAT6 is added to the copolymers homogeneous textures are observed by polarising microscopy and both DSC and low angle X-ray show the presence of separated liquid crystalline columnar discotic domains.