title: High-density liquid-crystalline azobenzene polymer brush attained by surface-initiated ring-opening metathesis polymerization.
abstract: High-density polynorbornene azobenzene liquid-crystalline brushes are synthesized on quartz substrates by surface-initiated ring-opening metathesis polymerization (SI-ROMP) using Grubbs third-generation catalyst. The grafting process is controlled over the thickness of the brush from a solid-supported substrate in a stoichiometric manner. A highly ordered liquid-crystal arrangement was formed for such brushes as revealed by spectroscopic measurements and grazing angle X-ray diffraction analysis. Marked features of this method in the structure and photoalignment behavior are unveiled by comparison with brushes made by surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP).
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Design and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan.
authors.forename: Hafiz Ashraful
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Haque
authors.forename: Soutarou
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kakehi
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Shusaku
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagano
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seki