Photomechanical Switching Behavior of Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Network Consisting of Azobenzene-Carrying Crosslinked Poly(vinyl ether) and Polycarbonate

✍ Scribed by Hyun-Kyoung Kim; Xiao-Shui Wang; Yukihiro Fujita; Atsushi Sudo; Haruo Nishida; Masayuki Fujii; Takeshi Endo

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2005
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 114 KB
• Volume: 26
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1022-1336
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.200500209

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Summary: A novel semi‐interpenetrating polymer network (semi‐IPN) with photomechanical switching ability was developed by a cationic copolymerization of azobenzene‐containing vinyl ethers in a matrix of a linear polycarbonate (PC). The semi‐IPN film showed reversible deformation upon switching the UV irradiation on and off and responded with unprecedented rapidity. The photomechanical effect is attributed to a reversible change between the highly aggregated and dissociated states of the azobenzene groups.

The reversible UV response of the length of the semi‐IPN film at 25 °C.

magnified imageThe reversible UV response of the length of the semi‐IPN film at 25 °C.