Synthesis and characterization of H-type amphiphilic liquid crystalline block copolymers by ATRP

H-type amphiphilic liquid crystalline block copolymers containing azobenzene were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Macroinitiators prepared by the esterification between poly(ethylene oxide) (PEG) and 2,2-dichloroacetyl chloride were utilized to initiate the polymerization of 6-[4-(4-ethoxyphenylazo)phenoxy]hexyl methacrylate (M6C). The resulting macroinitiators and block copolymers were characterized by 1H NMR, gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Polarizing optical microscopy (POM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) preliminarily revealed the liquid crystalline property of these block copolymers. This series of liquid crystalline block copolymers are promising in some areas, such as optical data storage, optical switch, and molecular devices.