Thermoresponsive meso/nanostructured thermosetting materials based on PS-b-PEO block copolymer-dispersed liquid crystal: Curing behavior and morphological variation

The main aim of this contribution was the generation of novel intelligent materials, in this case meso/nanostructured thermoresponsive thermosetting materials, based on an epoxy resin modified with two amphiphilic poly(styrene-b-ethylene oxide) block copolymers (PSEO) and a low molecular weight liquid crystal, 4′-(hexyl)-4-biphenyl-carbonitrile (HBC). A strong influence of the addition of a small amount of PSEO block copolymer as the third component in PSEO–HBC–(DGEBA/MXDA) cured blends on both curing behavior and morphology has been observed. The introduction of 5 and 10 wt.% PSEO in the thermosetting ternary blends results in, depending of both PS-block and HBC content, thermoresponsive meso/nanostructured thermosetting materials with high contrast ratios between transparent and opaque states. It is envisaged that these novel meso/nanostructured blends may lead to new materials due to both the ability of self-assembly of block copolymers and the fact that block copolymer-dispersed low molecular weight liquid crystals behave as thermoresponsive materials in a thermosetting matrix.