Molecular organization in nematic polymers

The concept of polyflexibility is based on the remarkable contrast observed between a chemically ordered polymer containing rigid, semi-rigid and flexible units and its isomeric system of disordered chains. The ordered constitutional isomer synthesized was found to undergo its nematic to isotropic phase transition sharply over a temperature range which was 25 to 40 times narrower than that of the disordered isomer. Naturally one may expect a reduction in polyflexibility as the average chain length increases in the system. Nonetheless, a computer simulation applicable to the author's experimental polymers shows that unrealistic degrees of polymerization for condensation reactions would be required to reduce significantly the biphasic range. These results are presented. The author presents a liquid fringed micelle model.