Tuning the colour of glassy cholesteric liquid crystals using copolymerization of two left-handed menthyl- and cholesteryl-based mesogenic monomers.

A new series of polysiloxane glassy cholesteric liquid crystal copolymers with menthyl- and cholesteryl-based mesogenic units in the side chains, denoted as P-MtxChy (x, y expresses the molar ratio of monomers Mt and Ch in copolymeric synthesis, and x + y = 7.) were successfully synthesised by hydrosilylation reaction. The mesomorphic properties and phase behaviours were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarising optical microscopy (POM) and X-ray diffraction. Optical properties were investigated by the UV-VIS spectrum. Using the volume-excluding action of mesogenic units in side chains, we obtained glassy cholesteric liquid crystal copolymers. By varying molar ratio of Mt and Ch in copolymers, the helical pitch was adjusted into visible light region. With the increase of Mt, the maximum reflection wavelength off normal 8 ° shifted from 548 nm of P-Mt3Ch4 to 650 nm of P-Mt4Ch3 to 872 nm of P-Mt5Ch2, and the reflected colours changed from green to red. These well-oriented glassy films have shown good morphological stability below the glass-transition temperature (Tg) for more than a year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]