Ferroelectric liquid-crystalline polymeric composition

Claim 1

A ferroelectric polymeric liquid-crystalline composition comprising a hydrogen bonded product of a non-liquid-crystalline polymer having proton transfer functionality selected from the group consisting of poly(acrylic) acid), poly(methacrylic acid), polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polycarbonate, polyesters obtained by the condensation reaction of a dicarboxylic acid derivative and a diol derivative, polyamides obtained by the condensation reaction of a dicarboxylic acid derivative and a diamine derivative, polyamides obtained by the condensation reaction of a dicarboxylic acid derivative and a monoalcohol or monoamine derivative, the polymerization degree of the polymer being 10-10,000; and a low-molecular weight liquid-crystalline compound which has a proton transfer functionality opposite to and reactive with the proton transfer functionality of said polymer, to produce hydrogen bonding, said low-molecular weight liquid-crystalline compound is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of (a) 2-methylbutyl 4'-(10-(2,2-diacetoxymethyl) propionyloxy decyloxy) biphenyl 4-carboxylate, (b) 2-methylbutyl 4-(4'-{12-(2,2-dihydroxymethyl propionyloxy) dodecyloxy} benzoyloxy) benzene-4-carboxylate. (c) 2-methylbutyl 4-(4'-{12-(2,2-deacetoxymethyl propionyloxy) dodecyloxy} benxoyloxy) benzene-4-carboxylate, (d) 2-methylbutyl 4-(4'-{12-(2,2-dihydroxymethyl propionyloxy) dodecyloxy} benzoyloxy)biphenyl-4-carboxylate, (e) 2-methylbutyl 4'-(4"-{12-(2,2-diacetoxymethyl propionyloxy) dodecyloxy}benzoyloxy)biphenyl-4-carboxylate, (f) 2-methylbutyl 4-(4"-{12-(2,2-dihydroxymethyl propionyloxy) dodecyloxy} biphenyl-4'-carbonyloxy)benzoate, (g) 2-methylbutyl 4-(4"-{12-(2,2-diacetoxymethyl propionyloxy) dodecyloxy} biphenyl 4'-carbonyloxy)benzoate, and (h) 2-chloro-3-methylpentyl 4-(4"-{12-(2,2-diacetoxymethyl) propionyloxy} dodecyloxy) biphenyl-4'-carbonyloxy benzoate; the number of the proton transfer functionality groups of the non-liquid crystalline polymer being from 10:1 to 1:2 as compared with the low-molecular weight liquid-crystalline compound.