Liquid crystal polymer nanocomposites: direct intercalation of thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers into layered silicates

Reversible intercalation between two ordered media such as organically modified layered silicates (OLS) and thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers (LCP) in the nematic state is demonstrated. These results indicate that the decreased diffusivities and intermolecular interactions of an ordered polymeric guest do not preclude intercalation, potentially enabling fabrication of ultra-high performance polymer nanocomposites. Fundamentally, the polymer–polymer interactions that lead to a preferred orientation director in the bulk LCP nematic state are suppressed when the chains are confined to the pseudo two-dimensional environment of the OLS interlayer, resulting in a loss of liquid crystallinity. This demonstrates a finite-size effect on the nematic state of thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers.