Fourier transform infrared study of fractionated aromatic polyesters

Infrared spectra at different temperatures have been studied for fractions of a liquid crystal forming aromatic polyester.The molecular interactions in different phases and their changes duringthe transitions were discussed. Abrupt frequency shift was found for bands of groups both in mesogens and flexible spacers during fusion and isotropization transitions. It may imply that both the mesogens and the flexible spacers are included in the same crystalline phase and give their contributions to the formation of the mesophase. The splitting into doublet of the C-O stretching vibrations was observed for both the aromatic and aliphatic esters and was attributed to the existence of local regions for ester groups different in ordering. The more ordered regions do not disappear completely even in the isotropic liquid phase.