**Author details**

30 Polyurethane

**Figure 8.** TGA curve of LCPUE VI (a-c) and LCPUE VII (a-c)

Sample Tensile modulus

(Mpa)

**Table 2.** Mechanical properties of LCPUE VI (a-c) and LCPUE VII (a-c)

LCPUE VIa 17.1 28.2 290 LCPUE VIb 13.4 24.1 450 LCPUE VIc 11.5 19.9 570 LCPUE VIIa 17.5 28.3 330 LCPUE VIIb 13.7 24.3 460 LCPUE VIIc 11.2 19.8 560

Table 2 demonstrates tensile properties of the synthesized LCPUE. As seen, all of the polymers possessed good elastic properties with high elongation at break. Due to the data listed, the higher the molecular weight of the soft segments, the greater the elongation at break, but decrease of tensile strength and tensile modulus can be observed. When the molecular weight of polyol increased, the number of urethane groups in the polyol chain was reduced at the same time, and hence the number of rigid segments is lower, consequently, the possible number of intermolecular hydrogen bonds goes down in which –NH and C=O groups are active (Kro & Pitera, 2008). However, the presence of enhanced rigid and high aspect ratio mesogenic unit as part of hard segment in the synthesized LCPUE, is able to give both high strength and good elastic properties to LCPUE even with long soft segments, which

> Tensile strength (Mpa)

Elongation at break (%)

**3.5. Tensile properties** 

Mohammed Ahmed Issam and Hamidi Mohamed Rashidah *University Sains Malaysia, Malaysia* 
