Monolayer behaviors for the photochromic liquid crystalline copolymers with azobenzene and cholesterol side groups

Abstract

Monolayer behaviors for a series of newly synthesized photochromic liquid crystalline copolymers were studied. Results showed that the azo-homopolymer would aggregate heavily after spreading and its monolayer was not suitable for deposition of the reversible photochromic LB film. However, the liquid crystallinity, which resulted by introducing mesogenic cholesteric side chains, could reduce monolayer aggregation and improve reversible photoinduced structural change in LB films.