title: Photoactuation and thermal isomerisation mechanism of cyanoazobenzene-based liquid crystal elastomers.
abstract: 4-Alkoxy-4'-cyanoazobenzenes are organic chromophores with great applicability within present nanotechnology. However, the use of such azo dyes for obtaining light-triggered artificial muscle-like actuators remains still unexplored. Achieving further knowledge about the thermal back reaction and isomerisation mechanism for these types of azoderivatives is essential to get photo-actuators with the desired abilities. Despite the push-pull nature of the 4-alkoxy-4'-cyanoazobenzene chromophore, it has been experimentally demonstrated that it isomerises via an inversion mechanism. The opto-mechanics of the prepared elastomeric material has also been investigated. For this system, a maximum opto-mechanical response of ca. 2.5 kPa has been registered, which is independent of the working temperature of the photoactuator.
authors.affiliation: Grup de Materials Orgànics, Departament de Química Orgànica, Institut de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (IN2UB), Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain. dvelasco@ub.edu.
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garcia-Amorós
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Heino
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Finkelmann
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Velasco
mesh_terms: D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D020724:Elastomers / Q000737:chemistry*; D007536:Isomerism; D007700:Kinetics; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D020724:Elastomers; D012997:Solvents; C009850:azobenzene