Photomechanical effects in azobenzene-containing polymer systems

Abstract

Several kinds of photodeformable polymer systems containing azobenzenes, capable of generating photomechanical effects, are reviewed. In polymer amorphous systems including monolayers, gels and solid films, trans-cis photoisomerization of the azobenzene moieties accompanied by geometrical and dipolar changes caused contraction and expansion of the systems. Recently, polymer liquid-crystalline elastomers containing azobenzenes, a novel system able to produce the photomechanical effects, have been developed to achieve fast and large photoinduced deformations. It is interesting that not only photoinduced contraction but also photoinduced bending have been achieved. These deformations are ascribed to the subtle variation in microscopic ordering during the photochemical phase transition of the polymer liquid-crystalline elastomers. This new photomechanical system is potential for application in driving micromachines and nanomachines without the aid of batteries, motors and gears.