Exploring Substituent Effects in Reversible Photoswitchable Low Molecular Weight Arylazoisoxazole Adhesives

Abstract

The design of reusable responsive materials is of the utmost importance to reduce the unsustainable use of valuable resources. Inspired by our initial work on the application of arylazoisoxazoles as reusable photoresponsive adhesives, we aim to uncover generalizations to their adhesive properties and optimize their molecular design. To achieve this goal, a molecular library of arylazoisoxazoles with different substitution patterns has been synthesized and examined for their adhesive properties. Several of the photoreversible low molecular weight adhesives in the library exhibited significantly enhanced weight bearing capacities. This study broadens the understanding of arylazoisoxazoles as photoresponsive adhesives, shedding light on their limitations and the opportunities to improve their performance alike.