Light-induced deformation of liquid crystalline polymer networks containing azobenzene chromophores

Vladimir Toshchevikov; Tatiana Petrova; Marina Saphiannikova

doi:10.1117/12.2186538

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5 September 2015 Light-induced deformation of liquid crystalline polymer networks containing azobenzene chromophores

Vladimir Toshchevikov, Tatiana Petrova, Marina Saphiannikova

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Proceedings Volume 9565, Liquid Crystals XIX; 956504 (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2186538
Event: SPIE Organic Photonics + Electronics, 2015, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The light-induced deformation of two-component polymer networks with liquid crystalline (LC) mesogens and azobenzene chromophores attached covalently to the network strands is theoretically studied. It is shown that preferential reorientation of chromophores perpendicular to the polarization direction of the light E leads to the reorientation of the mesogens due to LC interactions between the chromophores and mesogens. Reorientation of both components under light illumination leads to the light-induced deformation of the polymer network. The sign of deformation (expansion / contraction with respect to the vector E) and the magnitude of deformation is determined by the orientation distribution of the mesogens and chromophores inside the network strands. The magnitude of deformation increases with increase of the volume fraction of chromophores and the strength of LC interactions between the components.

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Vladimir Toshchevikov, Tatiana Petrova, and Marina Saphiannikova "Light-induced deformation of liquid crystalline polymer networks containing azobenzene chromophores", Proc. SPIE 9565, Liquid Crystals XIX, 956504 (5 September 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2186538

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