Design and synthesis of liquid crystalline polymer brushes and hydrogen bonded polymers

Our research is aimed at developing macromolecules that will lead to improved polar order in materials and new types of sensors. Our approach to developing noncentrosymmetric materials is to use hydrogen bonded liquid crystalline monomers. We report the synthesis and characterization of three molecules. Next, we investigate the presence of hydrogen bonding and the phase transitions of these molecules. We also incorporate these polymers into a liquid crystalline host.;We also aim to develop polymers that may lead to the development of new sensors. Two monomers are chosen, synthesized and characterized. Solution polymerizations are performed; next, an initiator is synthesized and placed on a quartz substrate as a precursor to a liquid crystalline polymer brush. Initial attempts at brush synthesis were unsuccessful.