Polymers 2012, 4(1), 150-186; doi:10.3390/polym4010150
Review

Optical and Physical Applications of Photocontrollable Materials: Azobenzene-Containing and Liquid Crystalline Polymers

Akira Emoto* email, Emi Uchidaemail and Takashi Fukudaemail
Electronics and Photonics Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 5 December 2011; in revised form: 28 December 2011 / Accepted: 7 January 2012 / Published: 9 January 2012
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liquid Crystalline Polymers)
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Abstract: Photocontrol of molecular alignment is an exceptionally-intelligent and useful strategy. It enables us to control optical coefficients, peripheral molecular alignments, surface relief structure, and actuation of substances by means of photoirradiation. Azobenzene-containing polymers and functionalized liquid crystalline polymers are well-known photocontrollable materials. In this paper, we introduce recent applications of these materials in the fields of mechanics, self-organized structuring, mass transport, optics, and photonics. The concepts in each application are explained based on the mechanisms of photocontrol. The interesting natures of the photocontrollable materials and the conceptual applications will stimulate novel ideas for future research and development in this field.
Keywords: azobenzene-containing polymer; liquid crystalline polymer; photocontrol; molecular alignment

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Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Emoto, A.; Uchida, E.; Fukuda, T. Optical and Physical Applications of Photocontrollable Materials: Azobenzene-Containing and Liquid Crystalline Polymers. Polymers 2012, 4, 150-186.

AMA Style

Emoto A, Uchida E, Fukuda T. Optical and Physical Applications of Photocontrollable Materials: Azobenzene-Containing and Liquid Crystalline Polymers. Polymers. 2012; 4(1):150-186.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Emoto, Akira; Uchida, Emi; Fukuda, Takashi. 2012. "Optical and Physical Applications of Photocontrollable Materials: Azobenzene-Containing and Liquid Crystalline Polymers." Polymers 4, no. 1: 150-186.

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