LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYURETHANE ELASTOMER AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME

摘要

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystalline polyurethane elastomer having a low liquid crystal-developing temperature and can exhibit rubbery elasticity when a liquid crystal is developed therein, and a method for producing the liquid crystalline polyurethane elastomer. The liquid crystalline polyurethane elastomer according to the present invention is characterized by being produced by reacting at least an isocyanate component, a high-molecular-weight polyol component and a mesogenic diol represented by general Formula (1) with one another, and is also characterized by having a crosslinking site that is introduced by a tri-functional or higher isocyanate in the isocyanate component and/or a high-molecular-weight polyol having a number average molecular weight of 400 or more and less than 7000 and having three or more hydroxy groups, in the high-molecular-weight polyol component, wherein the melting point of a mesogenic unit does not exist in a temperature range lying between the glass transition temperature (Tg) and the (liquid crystal phase)-to-(isotropic phase) transition temperature (Ti) of the polyurethane elastomer, and a liquid crystal is developed at a temperature between the Tg and the Ti. (In the Formula, X represents an alkylene group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms; and Y represents a single bond, -N=N-, -CO-, -CO-O- or -CH=N-.)