Synthesis and Characterization of Biodegradable Segmented Liquid Crystalline Poly(ester-urethane)s

A series of biodegradable segmented liquid crystalline poly(ester-urethane)s were prepared by solution polymerization of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), mesogenic diol prepolymer poly(butylene terephthaloyldioxy dibenzoates) (MD), and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI). The MD content was varied from 0 to 40 mol% so that the effects of the mesogen content on the thermal and physical properties, hydrolytic degradation and morphological textures were examined respectively. It was found that introducing mesogens units could increase the thermal stability and the elastic properties, while reduced the phase transition temperatures and the hydrolytic degradation rate. The mesogenic monomer and mesogenic diol could exhibit a schlieren texture characteristic of nematics, and some of the poly(ester-urethane)s could display a grainy texture.