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Physically Cross-Linked Main-Chain Ortho-Fluorinated Azobenzene Semicrystalline Polymer Photoactuators with
Lei Wang1, Shengkui Ma1, Yan Zhou1
1State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials (Ministry of Education), and College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|June 6, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed a new method to create advanced azobenzene polymer photoactuators. These reprogrammable actuators exhibit multiple functions, including tunable deformation modes and enhanced mechanical properties, achieved through simple thermal annealing.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Photomechanics
Background:
- Azobenzene (azo) polymer photoactuators offer potential for photodriven applications but face development challenges.
- Achieving multiple reprogrammable properties in azo polymer photoactuators remains a significant hurdle.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a facile strategy for fabricating azo polymer photoactuators with multiple reprogrammable properties.
- To investigate the impact of thermal annealing on the photomechanical and mechanical characteristics of these polymers.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized a main-chain ortho-fluorinated azo polymer via Michael addition polymerization.
- Processed the polymer into uniaxially oriented films with dual physical cross-linking networks through solution casting and mechanical stretching.
- Utilized visible light irradiation (470 nm blue light) to induce photomechanical effects and thermal annealing to reprogram properties.
Main Results:
- Achieved highly stretched films (up to 2483% strain) with significant photoinduced shrinkage (up to 87%).
- Demonstrated that thermal annealing allows reprogramming of photodeformation modes (shrinkage, bending, reversible bending/unbending) and enhances photoinduced stress and mechanical strength.
- Established a correlation between thermal annealing, enhanced crystallinity, interchain hydrogen bonding, and improved material properties.
Conclusions:
- A versatile strategy for fabricating reprogrammable azo polymer photoactuators using physically cross-linked semicrystalline polymers has been presented.
- The developed method enables easy tuning of photomechanical and mechanical properties through simple thermal annealing, offering new possibilities for advanced photodriven applications.
