Light-responsive actuation materials based on azo-containing liquid-crystalline polymers

Xiaoying Li; Ruoyuan Yin; Futao Cheng; Yanlei Yu

doi:10.1117/12.873176

2 February 2011 Light-responsive actuation materials based on azo-containing liquid-crystalline polymers

Xiaoying Li, Ruoyuan Yin, Futao Cheng, Yanlei Yu

Proceedings Volume 7955, Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies VI; 79550O (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.873176
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2011, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Crosslinked liquid-crystalline polymer film (CLCP) was prepared by thermal polymerization of the mixture of an acrylate monomer and diacrylate crosslinker containing azotolane chromophores. Mesomorphic properties were studied using a polarizing optical microscope and a polarized UV-Vis absorption spectrometer. Due to a longer conjugated structure of the azotolane moieties in side chains, the CLCP film underwent photoinduced bending upon exposure to short-wavelength visible light at 436 nm and the deformable film returned to its initial flat state completely by alternating visible light to 577 nm. It was also observed that the bending process was accelerated by increasing the light intensity and the temperature. And the maximum force generated in the film upon photoirradiation decreased with the increase of the temperature and increased with the increment of the light intensity. In addition, a visible-light-driven microrobot was prepared from CLCP and polyethylene bilayer films, which could successfully lift and move an object through its "head".

Citation Download Citation

Xiaoying Li, Ruoyuan Yin, Futao Cheng, and Yanlei Yu "Light-responsive actuation materials based on azo-containing liquid-crystalline polymers", Proc. SPIE 7955, Emerging Liquid Crystal Technologies VI, 79550O (2 February 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.873176

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available