title: Light-induced dynamic shaping and self-division of multipodal polyelectrolyte-surfactant microarchitectures via azobenzene photomechanics.
abstract: Light-induced shape transformations represent a fundamental step towards the emergence of adaptive materials exhibiting photomechanical behaviours. Although a range of covalent azobenzene-based photoactive materials has been demonstrated, the use of dynamic photoisomerization in mesostructured soft solids involving non-covalent co-assembly has received little attention. Here we prepare discrete micrometre-sized hydrated particles of a hexagonally ordered polyelectrolyte-surfactant mesophase based on the electrostatically induced co-assembly of poly(sodium acrylate) (PAA) and trans-azobenzene trimethylammonium bromide (trans-azoTAB), and demonstrate unusual non-equilibrium substrate-mediated shape transformations to complex multipodal microarchitectures under continuous blue light. The microparticles spontaneously sequester molecular dyes, functional enzymes and oligonucleotides, and undergo self-division when transformed to the cis state under UV irradiation. Our results illustrate that weak bonding interactions in polyelectrolyte-azobenzene surfactant mesophases can be exploited for photo-induced long-range molecular motion, and highlight how dynamic shape transformations and autonomous division can be activated by spatially confining azobenzene photomechanics in condensed microparticulate materials.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.|Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, 400076, India.
authors.forename: Kamendra P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Harniman
authors.affiliation: School of Physics, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TL, UK.
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.
authors.forename: Ricky J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hutchings
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Bioimaging Facility, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK.
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alibhai
authors.affiliation: Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mann