Ferroelectric block copolymers

A block copolymer consisting of polystyrene and a side chain ferroelectric liquid crystalline polymer was synthesized using polymer analogous chemistry on a monodisperse poly(styrene-b-isoprene). Composition was adjusted to give lamellar microstructure after addition of the mesogenic side groups. If placed in an LC cell without orientation of domains, no ferroelectric response was observed. After shearing the thin film, presumably due to alignment of lamellae, a bistable ferroelectric switching could be detected.