Maxwell and Kerr effects in solutions of macromolecules with dendrons in side groups

TL;DR

This study investigates the optical and electric birefringence properties of dendron-based linear polymers, revealing their permanent dipole moments, reorientation mechanisms, and the impact of rigid fragments on their rigidity and anisotropy.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the conformational and optical properties of dendronized polymers with detailed analysis of their reorientation and anisotropy mechanisms.

Findings

Polymers possess permanent electric dipole moments.

Rigid benzamide fragments increase rigidity and optical anisotropy.

Second-generation dendrimers follow a wormlike chain model.

Abstract

Linear polymers with dendrons of first and second generations based on L-aspargic acid are studied by the methods of flow birefringence and electric birefringence. Optical, dipole, dynamic, and conformational properties of the macromolecules, as well as contributions to their optical anisotropy due to macroform and microform effects, are investigated. The polymers are found to possess permanent electric dipole moments and undergo reorientation in external electric and hydrodynamic fields according to large-scale rotation mechanism. A significant growth in equilibrium rigidity, optical anisotropy, and dipole moment of monomer units is observed when rigid benzamide fragments are introduced into the dendrimers. The backbone conformation of second-generation dendrimers containing such fragments is shown to be well described by generalized wormlike chain model.