Recent advances and potential applications of the photo-induced macroscopic response of self-assembled azopolymer in aqueous media

• Main Authors: Shen, Wenming, Bai, Yu, Hu, Jinhua, Hu, Xiao
• Other Authors: School of Materials Science & Engineering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Chemistry
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/102822; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/19142
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This mini-review highlights issues related to the photo-triggered macroscopic response of azopolymer in supramolecular hydrogel and polymer vesicles. Cyclodextrin (CD) can form an inclusion complex with trans-azobenzene while cis-azobenzene is expelled out of the CD's cavity. This photo-reversible supramolecular host − guest interaction is used to trigger sol − gel transitions and to induce macroscopic assembly. When substituted azobenzene is located at chain ends of linear polyethylene glycol, monodisperse vesicles are formed exhibiting a photo-induced pulsating behavior. The macroscopic phase transition and assembly or pulsating behavior of azopolymers can be expected to have potential applications as smart biomedical materials.