First liquid single crystal elastomer containing lactic acid derivative as chiral co-monomer: Synthesis and properties

For the first time new type of liquid single crystal elastomers forming the chiral smectic A* (SmA*) phase has been prepared using chiral lactic acid derivative as a co-monomer. The synthesis and the basic characterization of the ferroelectric liquid crystalline co-monomer based on differential scanning calorimetry and small/wide-angle X-ray scattering are reported and discussed. The monomer possesses the paraelectric SmA* and the ferroelectric SmC* phases over a broad temperature range. The preparation of new smectic liquid crystalline elastomers together with characterization of their mesomorphic and structural properties is also reported. New elastomers possess the orthogonal paraelectric SmA* phase over 50 K broad temperature range. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.