Phase behaviour of amphiphilic side-chain polymers

The present study describes the phase behaviour of a low-molar-mass 1,3-diol with a linear alkyl chain in aqueous solution. From the combined results of differential scanning calorimetry and optical polarizing microscopy a phase diagram was constructed. The low-molar-mass diol forms a lamellar mesophase only in the presence of water. The influence of the linkage of the amphiphilic molecule to different polymer backbones on the stability of the mesophase was investigated. It is evident that amphiphilic side-chain polymers show a distinct stabilization of the mesophase. Moreover, comparison between the polyacrylate, polymethacrylate and polysiloxane indicates a strong influence of the main-chain flexibility on the stability of the liquid-crystalline phase. The type of the liquid-crystalline phase of the side-chain polyacrylate in the water-saturated state was identified by X-ray investigations as lamellar. The hydration behaviour of the polymers was investigated by 2 H-N.M.R. and isopiestic measurements.