Light Scattering by Liquid Crystals of Poly-γ-benzylglutamates in Electric Field

-Liquid crystalline solutions of poly-γ-benzylglutamates have been measured in static electric fields using light scattering methods. It has been made clear that molecular clusters are present in solution when high dielectric solvents are used. Sufficient conditions, though not the necessary ones, have been obtained to indicate that the molecular clusters are rod-like in a very low electric field supporting an idea previously proposed. From the change of the V h scattering mode, polymer (and molecular cluster) orientation can be determined. Change in the scattering mode when the direction of the external electric field is reversed is drastic, and a tentative explanation for this is given. In dioxane, formation of the rod-like molecular clusters and their orientation are brought about by the induced dipole of the polymer and/or the electric current through the liquid crystalline solution unlike that in the high dielectric solvents.