Crown‐ether and azobenzene‐containing liquid crystalline polymers: An influence of macromolecular architecture on optical properties and photo‐orientation processes

Abstract

A series of novel crown ether‐containing photochromic comb‐shaped liquid crystalline polyacrylates with different macromolecular structure of side groups were synthesized and investigated. Phase behavior, optical and photo‐optical properties of thin spin‐coated films of these polymers were studied. A special attention was paid to a comparative study of the photo‐orientation phenomena occurring in the polymer films under a polarized light action. It was shown that complex formation with the potassium ions results in the decrease in degree of the photoinduced order that can be used for the creation of new materials for sensor devices. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011

Azo group(s) in selected macrocyclic compounds

“…The investigation of the relationship between molecular architecture of this type polymers and their photo-optical properties and phase behavior was the main scope of studies. Bobrovsky and co-workers [ 260 ] described among others the synthesis and properties of two types of polymers differing in the position of the crown ether in relation to the photoresponsive azobenzene residues (Fig. 89 ).…”

A Novel Type of Crown Ether‐Containing Metal Ions Optical Sensors Based on Polymer‐Stabilized Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Films

“…Initiator Irgacure 651 was purchased from Ciba. A6Crown was synthesized according to method described previously 18. Perchlorates of barium and potassium were used as received (Aldrich).…”

“…In recent works performed in our laboratory,18, 19 the novel type of side‐chain polymers containing crown ether and azobenzene fragments in one and the same macromolecule were synthesized, and it was shown that complexation in such polymers leads to significant decrease of isotropization temperatures, change of E/Z isomerization mechanism, and, as a consequence, change of photo orientation process peculiarities. Apart from the rather complex synthesis of such systems, they are not suitable as the materials for sensors since complexation processes are characterized by slow rate because they proceed in polymeric glassy state.…”