Abstract: A polymeric material which is capable of forming high modulus, biaxially orientable structures of a cholesteric mesophase, wherein said polymeric material comprises an optically active monomer which is condensation co-polymerized with at least one p-phenylene containing monomer which is itself capable of forming a polymer exhibiting a nematic mesophase, or which is capable of being copolymerized with a second monomer to form a nematic mesophase, or which is capable of being copolymerized with racemic mixture of said optically active monomers to form a nematic mesophase, wherein the resulting copolymer is characterized by a degree of inflexibility sufficient to form a mesophase and wherein said optically active monomer is present in said polymer after copolymerization in an amount sufficient to impart optical activity to said polymer sufficient to form a cholesteric mesophase.

Abstract: Aliphatic polyamides prepared in the form of fibres or films having multioriented fibres and having a modulus of elasticity of at least 1000 kg/mm.sup.2.

Abstract: A process by which transformations of linear polyamides are performed at temperatures below the melting and decomposition temperatures of pure polyamides, wherein anionic polymerization of dry lactams with 4 to 12 carbon atoms is performed in the presence of one or more lithium halides, in amounts ranging from 1 to 10% in weight of the polymer.