A kinetic study of the formation of smectic phases in novel liquid crystal ionogens

► Kinetic phase transition analysis of side-chain LC polymers containing acid groups. ► Nematic suppression in copolymers by orientational restrictions. ► Non-isothermal kinetic analysis of the isotropic to liquid crystal transition. ► Activation energies increase exponentially when acid aggregation occurs. ► Role of structure forming sulfonic acid groups in liquid crystals.