Photo-Tuned Solid-Liquid Transition of Azo-Grafted Poly(thioctic acid) with Ultrahigh Photothermal Conversion...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Photochemistry

Background:

• Functional materials with photo-regulated solid-liquid transitions are crucial for advanced applications.
• Existing azopolymers often rely on UV light, posing risks to material performance and human health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel azopolymer exhibiting reversible solid-liquid transition under visible green light irradiation.
• To investigate the mechanism behind this photo-induced phase transition.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of the azopolymer (Azo-PTA) via ring-opening copolymerization.
• Systematic investigation of the phase transition using experimental and measurement techniques.
• Analysis of the light-to-heat conversion efficiency.

Main Results:

• Azo-PTA demonstrated reversible solid-liquid transition upon green light exposure.
• The transition was attributed to a photothermal effect, not a photochemical process.
• High light-to-heat conversion efficiency (84.9%) with rapid temperature increase (>90°C in 30s).

Conclusions:

• Successfully fabricated azopolymers with green light-regulated solid-liquid transition behaviors.
• The photothermal effect is key to the observed phase transition.
• Opens new avenues for visible light-controlled functional materials in applications like smart adhesion and coatings.