Visible Light Responsive Liquid Crystal Polymers Containing Reactive Moieties with Good Processability.

Area of Science:

• Polymer Science
• Materials Science
• Photochemistry

Background:

• Linear liquid crystal polymers (LLCPs) are advanced materials with unique properties.
• Controlling the cross-linking of LLCPs is crucial for developing photoresponsive materials.
• Existing methods for creating cross-linked polymers may lack efficiency or versatility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel reactive linear liquid crystal polymers (LLCPs) with varying azotolene concentrations.
• To investigate the cross-linking of these LLCPs using difunctional primary amines.
• To evaluate the photoinduced bending and unbending behaviors of the resulting cross-linked liquid crystal polymers (CLCPs).

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of two types of reactive linear liquid crystal polymers (LLCPs).
• Processing of LLCPs into films and fibers via solution and melting methods.
• Post-cross-linking of LLCPs with difunctional primary amines.
• Photoresponse testing using 445 nm and 530 nm visible light.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized LLCPs with different azotolene concentrations.
• Achieved facile cross-linking of LLCPs into cross-linked liquid crystal polymers (CLCPs) in both film and fiber forms.
• Demonstrated reversible photoinduced bending and unbending of CLCPs upon exposure to 445 nm and 530 nm light at room temperature.
• Validated the post-cross-linking method for preparing diverse CLCP shapes.

Conclusions:

• The post-cross-linking approach offers a straightforward route to producing shape-controllable CLCP films and fibers.
• The developed CLCPs exhibit promising reversible photoactuation, suitable for light-responsive applications.
• This method allows for the utilization of traditional polymer processing techniques for advanced CLCP materials.