Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal
Published on: October 31, 2019
Enhanced reversible photoswitching of azobenzene-functionalized graphene oxide hybrids
Xuequan Zhang1, Yiyu Feng, Peng Lv
1School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China.
Abstract:
An enhanced photoinduced reversible switching of graphene oxide-azobenzene (GO-AZO) hybrid was investigated as a highly sensitive photoswitch. The internal short-range ordered crystalline structure of GO-AZO hybrid was advantageous to charge transfer. The AZO moieties on GO underwent a rapid trans-cis photoisomerization upon ultraviolet irradiation due to the electron interaction between AZO and GO. The GO-AZO hybrid film showed an enhanced reversible photoswitching performance with high on/off ratio of 8 and fast response time less than 500 ms. The high sensitivity of GO-AZO switch arises from the intramolecular donor-acceptor architecture with efficient charge transfer.
Related Concept Videos
Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
Cycloaddition Reactions: MO Requirements for Photochemical Activation
Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview
Aryldiazonium Salts to Azo Dyes: Diazo Coupling

