Investigation of defect structures of thermotropic liquid crystal polymers by optical and scanning EM

The integer defect structures of semi-flexible thermotropic polyester (MHDT) based on 1,10-decane bisterephthaloyl chloride with methyl hydroquinone were investigated by optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Liquid crystals, in general, are characterized by a unit vector called the director, n, which indicates the locally preferred orientation of molecules. Different types of defects, which were described by their strength, s, defined by the total change of the orientation of the director around the singularity divided by 2, are imaged in the director fields. The integer defects of s=1, in liquid crystal polymers were revealed by OM and SEM using the lamellar decoration technique developed in this laboratory.

Investigation of defect structures of thermotropic liquid crystal polymers by optical and scanning EM Academic Article