Open AccessRewritable Optical Patterns in Light-Responsive Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene
Author(s) -
Sarah S. D. Lafleur,
John R. Severn,
Rob C. P. Verpaalen,
Albertus P. H. J. Schenning,
Cees W. M. Bastiaansen
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
acs applied polymer materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2637-6105
DOI - 10.1021/acsapm.8b00117
Subject(s) - merocyanine , spiropyran , photochromism , isomerization , photochemistry , materials science , colored , irradiation , visible spectrum , polyethylene , optics , optoelectronics , chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , physics , nuclear physics , catalysis
Spiropyran is used as a photochromic dye to create colored patterns in highly drawn ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW PE) films. The dye is incorporated in highly crystalline, drawn UHMW PE tapes and fibers and isomerizes to its merocyanine state upon UV light irradiation, resulting in a color change from transparent to purple. The isomerization from merocyanine to spiropyran to erase the color can be simply induced by using heat or a green LED light. The combination of the use of a mask and the reversibility of the isomerization results in colored patterns that can be written, erased, and rewritten using UV light and heat or green LED light.
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