The contribution of intermolecular forces to phototropic actuation of liquid crystalline elastomers

Photomechanical effects in liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) functionalized with photochromic moieties, such as azobenzene, have been widely studied. This prior work has demonstrated that isothermal, photoinduced ( e.g. phototropic) disruption of order via isomerization of azobenzene affects the anis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polymer chemistry 2021-03, Vol.12 (1), p.1581-1587
Main Authors: Hebner, Tayler S, Bowman, Christopher N, White, Timothy J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Actuation
Azo compounds
Chains (polymeric)
Crystal structure
Crystallinity
Elastomers
Intermolecular forces
Isomerization
Liquid crystals
Mechanical analysis
Polymer chemistry
Polymers
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Summary:Photomechanical effects in liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) functionalized with photochromic moieties, such as azobenzene, have been widely studied. This prior work has demonstrated that isothermal, photoinduced ( e.g. phototropic) disruption of order via isomerization of azobenzene affects the anisotropic chain configurations of the polymer network. Here, we examine the contribution of the strength of intermolecular interactions between polymer chains in the LCE to both the thermotropic and phototropic response. By incorporating liquid crystalline monomers with reduced aromatic content, both the temperature and irradiation conditions to induce mechanical response are reduced. Azobenzene-functionalized crystalline elastomers containing a monomer with reduced aromatic content exhibits enhanced phototropic response.
ISSN:1759-9954
1759-9962
DOI:10.1039/d1py00028d