Abstract: | A family of aromatic thermotropic liquid crystal (TLC) copolyesters are prepared based on terephthalic acid (TPA), isophthalic acid (IPA), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), and a family of bisphenols. The morphological behaviors of the copolyesters are studied by using polarized optical microscopy, small-angle light scattering (SALS), and depolarized light intensity (DLI) analysis. The copolyester melts exhibit nematic mesophase textures within wide temperature ranges without showing transitions to isotropic phases. The textures under different temperatures and deformation conditions are investigated. Scattering patterns of the mesophases change greatly during shear deformation and relaxation. The early formation of the mesophases is a one-dimension heterogeneous nucleation based on isothermal condition. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |