A photo-responsive poly(amide–triazole) physical organogel bearing azobenzene residues in the main chain

Abstract

The synthesis of a click poly(amide-triazole) bearing multiple azobenzene units along the main chain was reported. The polymer was found to form strong physical polymer organogels. This structural design facilitates a much more efficient photomechanical effect upon photochemical excitation, and a highly reversible sol-gel transformation can be smoothly triggered by light irradiation and thermal treatment.

Reversible photo-responsive gel–sol transitions of robust organogels based on an azobenzene-containing main-chain liquid crystalline polymer

“…9 Besides, a photo-responsive dextran hydrogel constructed via the host-guest interactions between trans-azo and cyclodextrin in the pendent polymer chains has been employed for light-controlled protein release. 10 In addition, a gel from poly(amide-triazole) bearing azobenzene units along the main chain has a reversible gel-sol transformation, which can be smoothly triggered by UV and visible light irradiation, but the gel is so with a saturated storage modulus of less than 10 3 Pa. 11 In recent years, azobenzene-containing liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) have drawn considerable attention because they combine the intriguing photo-responsive property and anisotropic liquid crystalline behaviours related to the rod-like trans-azo mesogens. [12][13][14] So far, a great number of LCPs with azobenzene mesogens have been reported.…”

“… 9 Besides, a photo-responsive dextran hydrogel constructed via the host–guest interactions between trans -azo and cyclodextrin in the pendent polymer chains has been employed for light-controlled protein release. 10 In addition, a gel from poly(amide-triazole) bearing azobenzene units along the main chain has a reversible gel–sol transformation, which can be smoothly triggered by UV and visible light irradiation, but the gel is soft with a saturated storage modulus of less than 10 3 Pa. 11 …”

Synthesis of Glutamic Acid Derived Organogels and their Applications in Dye Removal from Aqueous Medium

“…Polymer gels are 3D cross-linked networks, which are generally prepared by physical or chemical cross-linking of polymer chains in various solvents with the properties of holding a large amount of solvents. [1,2] Based on the absorbing solvent media, polymer gels are classified into two types: organogel (organic solvent is absorbing media) [3,4] and hydrogel (water is absorbing media). [5,6] Recently, design and synthesis of polymer gel is gaining supreme attention in academia and as well as in industry because of their unique properties and various potential applications in the area of waste water treatment, [7,8] biotechnology, [9,10] pharmaceuticals, [11] intelligent materials, [12] thickening agents for cosmetics, [13] and drug delivery systems.…”

Thermoreversible Polymer Gels in DMF Formed from Charge- and Crystallization-Induced Assembly

“…Responsive organogels exhibit changes in their physicochemical properties in response to external triggers, and such organogels are of current interest in both the academic community and industrial field, due to their fascinating properties and widespread applications from oil technology to drug delivery [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. A promising class of responsive organogels is polymer networks crosslinked by physical interactions, since such dynamic interactions enable the networks to be reversible [ 5 ].…”