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Reversible photochromism of polynorbornenes bearing spiropyran side groups
Lucas Hauser1, Astrid-Caroline Knall1, Meinhart Roth1
1Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 9, 8010 Graz, Austria.
Abstract:
In this paper, the synthesis and characterization of poly(norbornene) homo- and copolymers bearing spiropyran side groups are described. Difficulties in the homopolymerization of spiropyrans due to the opened merocyanine form were observed leading to low polymerization yields for homopolymers while copolymers with 10 mol% spiropyran content were prepared in good yield. Spiropyrans are characterized by their reversible photochromism, which was conserved in the polymers as shown by UV-Vis spectroscopy and FT-IR spectroscopy. The switching between the apolar spiropyran form and the zwitterionic merocyanine form also leads to switchable wettability as evidenced by contact angle measurements.
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