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Published on: September 20, 2017
Development of a Quartz-Based Photo-Mobile Polymer Film for Controlled Motion Triggered by Light or Heat
Riccardo Castagna1,2, Cristiano Riminesi1,2, Maria Savina Pianesi3
1URT-CNR@UNICAM, Photonic Materials Laboratory, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Università di Camerino (UNICAM), Ex-Carmelitane, Via Sant'Agostino, 1, 62032 Camerino, MC, Italy.
Abstract:
We have developed a photo-mobile polymer film, that combines organic and inorganic materials, to allow for controlled motion that can be triggered by light or heat. Our film is made using recycled quartz and consists of two layers: a multi-acrylate polymer layer and a layer containing oxidized 4-amino-phenol and N-Vinyl-1-Pyrrolidinone. The use of quartz in our film also gives it a high temperature resistance of at least 350 °C. When exposed to heat, the film moves in a direction that is independent of the heat source, due to its asymmetrical design. Once the heat source is removed, the film returns to its original position. ATR-FTIR measurements confirm this asymmetrical configuration. This technology may have potential applications in energy harvesting, due to the piezoelectric properties of quartz.
