Light-driven micro-particles (MPs) were prepared by modification of photo-responsive azobenzene(Azo) groups as molecular motors. In a nematic liquid crystal, 5CB, we have achieved remote control of the Azo-modified MPs (Azo/MPs), which constructed with glass spheres (GSs) or rod-like glass particles (GRs) as MPs, by light stimuli. As results of photo-induced isomerization from UV-visible extinction spectroscopy and from phase evaluation under microscope observation, the motion behavior suggest to be correlated with the generation of micro-sized isotropic phase (I-phase) regions, which could be caused by disorganization of the 5CB molecules in the nematic phase (N-phase) due to photo-induced continuous isomerization of Azo groups.
In this study, faster response speed of ON/OFF switching of multi-bilayered films containing azo-functionalized polymer liquid crystal and polyvinyl alcohol, PVA, is investigated. The multi-bilayered films were found to reflect a light of specific wavelength, and showed reversible change in the reflection intensity by irradiation with non-polarized visible light and UV light. The multi-bilayered film having high absorbance around 300-500 nm due to stacking several decades of azobenzene containing layer. So, the change in reflection intensity of multi-bilayered film takes long time by light irradiation. We synthesized polyacrylates copolymers with azobenzene and biphenyl side chains where biphenyl groups is having no absorbance at UV and visible region. Multi-bilayered films were fabricated by spin-coating method and the switching time of reflection was investigated comparing to the multi-bilayered film containing azobenzene homopolymer, the ON switching times of reflection for the copolymers were faster than homopolymer needing 900 s. It is attributed to that inducing UV light (λ = 365 nm) easily entered into the film by introducing of biphenyl groups.
A few research group reports formation of ordered structures of colloidal particles due to topological defects in a nematic liquid crystal. In this paper, we describe the photochemical phase transition of a nematic liquid crystal by the photoisomerization of azobenzene dyes, focusing especially on the dynamical effect of the trans–cis–trans photoisomerization cycle of a push-pull azobenzene dye. Then, we discuss the effects of light irradiation on the motion of small objects dispersed in the nematic and smectic liquid crystals contatining a push-pull azobenzene dye, and successfully manipulate those objects by pushing, trapping and dragging them.
Photo-responsive multi-bilayered film consisting of azobenzene polymer liquid crystals (PAzo) and polyvinylalcohol
(PVA) was prepared on a glass substrate by spin coating of the polymer solutions alternately. The reflectivity of the
multi-bilayered film disappeared by annealing at 80 °C. The disappearance of the reflection by the annealing was related
to the thermal out-of-plane molecular orientation of PAzo even in the multi-bilayered film, leading to a very small
difference in refractive indices between PAzo and PVA. The reflectance of the multi-bilayered film was increased again
by UV irradiation because of the transformation from the
out-of-plane orientation to the in-plane random orientation,
resulting in the restoration of difference in the refractive indices. In this way, the on-off switching of the reflection was
achieved by combination of the thermally spontaneous out-of-plane molecular orientation and following
photoisomerization of PAzo comprising the multi-bilayered film.
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