中国物理B ›› 2016, Vol. 25 ›› Issue (9): 96401-096401.doi: 10.1088/1674-1056/25/9/096401

• SPECIAL TOPIC—Physical research in liquid crystal • 上一篇    下一篇

Effect of fluorine groups and different terminal chains on the electro-isomerization of azobenzene liquid crystals

Jing-Jing Xiong(熊晶晶), Dong Shen(沈冬), Zhi-Gang Zheng(郑致刚), Xiao-Qian Wang(王骁乾)   

  1. Department of Physics, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
  • 收稿日期:2016-05-17 出版日期:2016-09-05 发布日期:2016-09-05
  • 通讯作者: Dong Shen E-mail:shen@ecust.edu.cn
  • 基金资助:
    Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61435008 and 61575063).

Effect of fluorine groups and different terminal chains on the electro-isomerization of azobenzene liquid crystals

Jing-Jing Xiong(熊晶晶), Dong Shen(沈冬), Zhi-Gang Zheng(郑致刚), Xiao-Qian Wang(王骁乾)   

  1. Department of Physics, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
  • Received:2016-05-17 Online:2016-09-05 Published:2016-09-05
  • Contact: Dong Shen E-mail:shen@ecust.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61435008 and 61575063).

摘要: A series of azobenzene liquid crystals with one or two terminal acrylate groups were synthesized and their polymers were fabricated. The azobenzene liquid crystals and their polymers achieved the photoisomerization from the liquid crystalline trans-isomer to the isotropic cis-isomer with UV irradiation. Then, the cis to trans isomerization induced by an electric field was studied, the time required for electro-isomerization was measured, the texture change and absorption variation from cis to trans form induced by the electric field were observed clearly, and the time required for electro-isomerization was much shorter than that for thermal relaxation. The influence of the polar group (fluorine), terminal acrylate group, and flexible alkyl chain on the time of electro-isomerization was studied. The results show that the compounds with polar fluorine group require shorter time for electro-isomerization and the polymerization of terminal acrylate group delays the electro-isomerization.

关键词: electro-isomerization, azobenzene liquid crystals, fluorine

Abstract: A series of azobenzene liquid crystals with one or two terminal acrylate groups were synthesized and their polymers were fabricated. The azobenzene liquid crystals and their polymers achieved the photoisomerization from the liquid crystalline trans-isomer to the isotropic cis-isomer with UV irradiation. Then, the cis to trans isomerization induced by an electric field was studied, the time required for electro-isomerization was measured, the texture change and absorption variation from cis to trans form induced by the electric field were observed clearly, and the time required for electro-isomerization was much shorter than that for thermal relaxation. The influence of the polar group (fluorine), terminal acrylate group, and flexible alkyl chain on the time of electro-isomerization was studied. The results show that the compounds with polar fluorine group require shorter time for electro-isomerization and the polymerization of terminal acrylate group delays the electro-isomerization.

Key words: electro-isomerization, azobenzene liquid crystals, fluorine

中图分类号:  (Experimental studies of liquid crystal transitions)

  • 64.70.mj
82.30.Qt (Isomerization and rearrangement)