Issue 11, 2012

Self-assembly and photo-responsive behavior of novel ABC2-type block copolymers containing azobenzene moieties

Abstract

The self-assembly behavior and photo-responsive properties of novel azobenzene based copolymers poly(ethylene oxide) monomethyl ether-block-polystyrene-block-{poly[6-(4-methoxy-azobenzene-4′-oxy) hexylmethacrylate]}2 [MPEO-b-PS-b-(PMMAZO)2] with various block lengths of PMMAZO segments in aqueous media were studied by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser light scattering (LLS) and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. It was found that the critical water content for the aggregate formation increases with the PMMAZO weight fraction. By tailoring the molecular structure and copolymer concentration, various self-assembled aggregates were obtained. At a lower concentration, all the copolymers self-assembled into simple vesicles. With increasing the polymer concentration, large compound vesicles were formed. The photo-sensitive properties of the formed aggregates were also studied. Upon irradiation with a polarized light, the aggregates were elongated. Large compound vesicles were found to deform into compact spindles with a very large axial ratio.

Graphical abstract: Self-assembly and photo-responsive behavior of novel ABC2-type block copolymers containing azobenzene moieties

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
03 Nov 2011
Accepted
09 Jan 2012
First published
03 Feb 2012

Soft Matter, 2012,8, 3131-3138

Self-assembly and photo-responsive behavior of novel ABC2-type block copolymers containing azobenzene moieties

Y. Wang, S. Lin, M. Zang, Y. Xing, X. He, J. Lin and T. Chen, Soft Matter, 2012, 8, 3131 DOI: 10.1039/C2SM07100B

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