Phase-segregated liquid crystalline cellulose derivative elastomers

New free-standing elastomeric thin films of liquid crystalline cellulose derivative and with embedded nematic liquid crystal E7 were prepared by a shear casting technique. Film samples were prepared from anisotropic and isotropic precursor solutions and were analyzed by mechanical testing, polarizing optical microscopy and small angle light scattering. For the free-standing anisotropic thin films (10 +/- 2 mu m thick) prepared from lyotropic precursor solutions, the added low molecular weight LC proved to be a tuning factor for the mechanical anisotropy. The polymer chain alignment induced by mechanical stretching produces changes in the LC droplet orientation, in their shape anisotropy and in the E7 nematic director field inside them.