New functional materials with fluorinated chains and photosensitive groups in mesogenic molecules (FunMesMat)

Advanced low molar mass liquid crystals and functional side-chain polymers, especially those possessing fluorinated chains and photosensitive groups, are extremely promising materials from fundamental and practical point of view. The main goals of the project are: (a) synthesis of new chiral low molar mass liquid crystalline materials with fluorinated chains and photosensitive groups and study of their mesomorphic, dielectric, electro-optic and photochromic properties in order to contribute to better understanding of molecular structure – physical properties relationships and the character and origin of detected mesophases; (b) search and study of polar monomers with definite structure in order to find the proper material to be used as a functional side-chain for the polymer design; (c) investigation of functional mesomorphic dimers and polymers with various backbone and especially mesophases with dipolar order; study influence of side-chain structure on polymer properties.