title: Optical storage in azobenzene-containing epoxy polymers processed as Langmuir Blodgett films.
abstract: In this study, azocopolymers containing different main-chain segments have been synthesized with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA, DER 332, n=0.03) and the azochromophore Disperse Orange 3 (DO3) cured with two monoamines, viz. benzylamine (BA) and m-toluidine (MT). The photoinduced birefringence was investigated in films produced with these azopolymers using the spin coating (SC) and Langmuir Blodgett (LB) techniques. In the LB films, birefringence increased with the content of azochromophore and the film thickness, as expected. The nanostructured nature of the LB films led to an enhanced birefringence and faster dynamics in the writing process, compared to the SC films. In summary, the combination of azocopolymers and the LB method may allow materials with tuned properties for various optical applications, including in biological systems were photoisomerization may be used to trigger actions such as drug delivery.
authors.affiliation: Materials+Technologies Group, Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, Polytechnic School, Universidad País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Pza Europa 1, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: Iñaki
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mondragon
authors.forename: Rafaela C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Sanfelice
authors.forename: Felippe J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Pavinatto
authors.forename: Osvaldo N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oyanguren
authors.forename: María J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Galante
mesh_terms: D016880:Anisotropy; D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D001596:Benzylamines / Q000737:chemistry; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D007834:Lasers; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D055620:Optical Phenomena; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D011312:Pressure; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013113:Spin Labels; D013499:Surface Properties; D014052:Toluidines / Q000737:chemistry; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D001596:Benzylamines; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011108:Polymers; D013113:Spin Labels; D014052:Toluidines; C029369:3-toluidine; C030796:benzylamine; C009850:azobenzene; C019273:bisphenol A diglycidyl ether; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
keywords: Azocopolymers; Epoxy; LB films; Optical storage; Spin coating