Open AccessSynthesis and polarized light‐induced birefringence of new polymethacrylates containing carbazolyl and azobenzene pendant groups
Author(s) -
Maertens C.,
Dubois P.,
Jérôme R.,
Blanche P.A.,
Lemaire Ph.C.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of polymer science part b: polymer physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.65
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1099-0488
pISSN - 0887-6266
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-0488(20000101)38:1<205::aid-polb23>3.0.co;2-h
Subject(s) - azobenzene , copolymer , birefringence , polymer chemistry , azo compound , materials science , methacrylate , alkyl , kinetics , photoisomerization , dispersion (optics) , photochemistry , polymer , chemistry , organic chemistry , optics , composite material , catalysis , isomerization , physics , quantum mechanics
Low T g copolymers of [11( N ‐carbazolyl)undecylmethacrylate] and [2,5‐dimethylphenyl‐[(4‐nitrophenyl)azo]‐phenoxyalkylmethacrylate] have been synthesized and the polarized light‐induced birefringence of thick films (70 μm) has been investigated at a constant deducted temperature relative to T g ( T − T g = 10 °C). The optical properties of these copolymers have been studied in relation to the azo‐dye content and the length of the alkyl spacer between the azo‐dye and the methacrylic backbone. They have been compared with the dispersion of (4‐methoxy‐2,5‐dimethylphenyl)‐(4‐nitrophenyl)diazene (DMNPAA) within a poly[11( N ‐carbazolyl)undecyl‐methacrylate] and a poly[ N ‐vinylcarbazole] (PVK) matrix. The experimental curves have been fitted by biexponentials, so emphasizing the effects of the copolymer structure on the kinetics of the writing process. The photoinduced orientation is more than three orders of magnitude higher in a grafted material compared to the dispersion version. The azo‐dye concentration also has an important role in both the amplitude and the dynamics of the photo‐orientation. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 205–213, 2000