title: Light-Induced Water Splitting Causes High-Amplitude Oscillation of pH-Sensitive Layer-by-Layer Assemblies on TiO2.
abstract: We introduce a simple concept of a light induced pH change, followed by high amplitude manipulation of the mechanical properties of an adjacent polymer film. Irradiation of a titania surface is known to cause water splitting, and this can be used to reduce the environmental pH to pH 4. The mechanical modulus of an adjacent pH sensitive polymer film can thus be changed by more than an order of magnitude. The changes can be localized, maintained for hours and repeated without material destruction.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14424, Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Sviatlana A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ulasevich
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14424, Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brezesinski
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14424, Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Helmuth
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Möhwald
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14424, Potsdam, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fratzl
authors.affiliation: Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Institut für Organische Chemie und Makromolekulare Chemie, Humboldtstrasse 10, Germany), Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Felix H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Schacher
authors.affiliation: The Research Institute for Physical Chemical Problems, Belarusian State University, 220030, Minsk, Belarus.
authors.forename: Sergey K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Poznyak
authors.affiliation: Center for Soft and Living Matter, Institute of basic science, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, 44919, Ulsan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Daria V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Andreeva
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14424, Potsdam, Germany. skorb@mpikg.mpg.de.
authors.forename: Ekaterina V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Skorb
keywords: TiO2; layer-by-layer assembly; polyelectrolytes; stimuli-responsive materials; water splitting