Synthesis and Phase Structures of Mesogen-Jacketed Liquid Crystalline Polyelectrolytes and Their Ionic Complexes

Two mesogen-jacketed liquid crystalline polyelectrolytes, poly{sodium 2,5-bis[(4-sulfophenyl)aminocarbonyl]styrene} and poly{sodium 2.5-bis[(4-sulfophenyl)oxycarbonyl]-styrene}, with rigid cores containing different linkages at the center and sulfonate groups on the two ends in the side chains were designed and successfully synthesized via conventional radical polymerization. X-ray scattering experiments revealed that the two polymers exhibited smectic A phases in bulk. Comb-shaped nonstoichiometric polymer-surfactant complexes were obtained by mixing the anionic sulfonated polyelectrolytes and cationic lipids of different lengths and shapes. The formation of ordered structures of the complexes depended on the length and shape of the lipids. Lamellar phases were observed when the two polyelectrolytes complexed with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and fan-shaped 3,4,5-tris(dodecyloxy)-benzenamine. Owing to the stronger bond strength of electrostatic interactions, the types of mesophases of the complexes based on the two polyelectrolytes with different linkages in the rigid cores were the same.