Cinnamate-functionalized hyperbranched polymer as liquid crystal photo-alignment layer

In this work, 4-methoxylcinnamoyl chloride was reacted with a commercial hyperbranched polymer (Boltorn∼TM H30) to prepare a hyperbranched photosensitive polymer (H30-Ci). The polymer was characterized by UV absorption spectrum and 1H-NMR spectrum. After processed by Linearly Polarized Polymerization (LPP) method, the spin-coated films of H30-Ci were used as photo-alignment layers to assemble liquid crystal (LC) cells containing nematic liquid crystal (5CB). The observation by polarized microscope showed that the H30-Ci blended with a linear polymer (BP-AN-Ci) photo-alignment layers could align LC molecules in a very uniform way.