Preparation and characterizations of thermotropic copolyesters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid,sebacic acid,and hydroquinone

A series of copolyesters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), sebacic acid and hydroquinone were prepared by melt polycondensation of p-acetoxybenzoic acid, sebacic acid and p-phenylene diacetate. The copolyesters were characterized by IR, NMR, DSC, polarized microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. It was found that the copolyesters exhibited liquid crystallinity when the HBA content was 25–67 mol %. The copolyesters with an HBA content of 25–43 mol % showed a nematic phase and a biphasic range, and the isotropization temperature increased as the HBA content increased. The copolyesters with an HBA content of 54–67 mol % showed a nematic phase up to above 400°C. The liquid crystalline order increased as the HBA content increased due to the increased of the average length of the rigid moieties. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.