The principal techniques for the synthesis of liquid crystalline block copolymers are reviewed. The syntheses are done by living/controlled free radical chain polymerization. The copolymers display an amorphous continuous phase and a discontinuous liquid crystalline phase (LC). The presence of oxypropylenic segments disturbs the range of mesophase transitions at lower temperatures. This behavior is not observed when styrenic segments are employed and suggests that the liquid crystalline behavior can be modified in block copolymers to show mesophases at higher and lower temperatures according to the flexibility of the chain segment that is present.
block copolymer; liquid crystals; polymerization
