Hindmarsh, P.Owen, G.J.Kelly, S.M.Jackson, P.O.O'Neill, M.Karapinar, R.2025-05-102025-05-1019991058-725X10.1080/105872599080237892-s2.0-0042227254https://doi.org/10.1080/10587259908023789https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14720/6310The synthesis of polymethacrylate derivatives of 6- and 7-hydroxycoumarin is described and their use as photoinduced alignment layers for liquid crystals is discussed. Strong anchoring is found with azimuthal anchoring energies > 6.9 × 10-5 J m-2. The liquid crystal alignment direction is parallel to the polarisation direction of the incident UV light when low fluences are incident. At a critical fluence threshold, a sharp change to perpendicular alignment is found. The incorporation of a flexible spacer into the coumarin sidechain results in stronger anchoring at low fluences. These results are discussed in terms of a molecular model.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessAlignmentHydroxycoumarinLiquid CrystalsPhotoinducedPolymerArticle332N/AN/A439446