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Liquid crystalline polymers: From self‐organization to functions and applications
Author(s) -
Anderle Klaus,
Wendorff Joachim H.,
Chemie Fachbereich Physikalische,
Fur Material Wissenschaft Wissenschaftliches Zentrum
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 1022-1360
DOI - 10.1002/masy.19950960114
Subject(s) - azobenzene , chromophore , liquid crystal , polymer , materials science , chemical physics , anisotropy , liquid crystalline , polarization (electrochemistry) , saturation (graph theory) , isomerization , perpendicular , optics , crystallography , optoelectronics , photochemistry , chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , physics , mathematics , combinatorics , catalysis , geometry
Liquid crystals derive their unusual properties and their broad range of applications from their unique spatial and orientational order giving rise to specific symmetries, to strong anisotropies with respect to macroscopical properties and to a strong coupling to external fields. We have studied for liquid crystalline polymers modes of inducing strong modifications of the anisotropic optical properties locally in solid films by light. A storage process is described in this contribution which is based on light‐induced trans‐cis‐trans‐isomerization reactions of azobenzene chromophores attached to a polymer backbone as side groups in liquid crystalline polymers. The chromophores are able to rotate in the glassy state if subjected to linearly polarized light: the azobenzene units approach a saturation orientation which is perpendicular to the polarization direction of the light. The contribution discusses the molecular mechanism of this process as well as possible applications.