LAUSR

Two liquid crystalline polymers containing an azobenzene or cyanobiphenyl mesogenic side chain that adopt smectic A phases were mechanically mixed at 1:1 mesogen molar ratio at an isotropic phase temperature and then cooled. The resultant binary polymer mixture behaved like a single component as revealed by polarized microscopy observation and differential scanning calorimetry, indicating that the binary mixture formed a fully compatible polymer blend. Moreover, the simple polymer blend unexpectedly led to a higher ordered smectic E phase where a herringbone structure is formed with restricted mesogen axis rotation. These results suggest a specific intermolecular interaction between the two mesogens, thereby inducing unusual compatibilized polymer blends and the most ordered liquid crystal phase. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.