We report the first measurements of elastic coefficients and viscosities that clearly demonstrate the distinction between rigid and semiflexible behavior of a main-chain polymer nematic liquid crystal, a solution of poly-$\gamma$-benzyl glutamate (PBG) in mixed organic solvents. Quasielastic Rayleigh scattering studies show a crossover which occurs at a molecular chain length near the persistence length of PBG as the chain length increases. These results are in qualitatively good agreement with recent theoretical predictions for semiflexible polymers. It is seen that bending distortions of an individual polymer play an important role in the fundamental nature of nematic elasticity and viscosity.

• Received 10 August 1988

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.61.2217