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Repeated photoswitching performance of azobenzenes adsorbed on gold surfaces: a balance between space, intermolecular interactions, and phase separation
- Source :
- New Journal of Chemistry. 41:1827-1833
- Publication Year :
- 2017
- Publisher :
- Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), 2017.
-
Abstract
- Single-component azobenzene thiol (Me-SH) and two-component azobenzene dodecyl disulfide (Me-SS) have been used to understand how “space” necessary for trans ↔ cis photoisomerization, “intermolecular interactions” and “phase separation” affects the repeated photoswitching ability of azobenzene units on flat gold surfaces. Me-SH self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with available space and π–π stacking interactions between photoswitchable azobenzene units showed ∼51% of the first trans-to-cis photoisomerization and good photoswitching performance in response to alternating irradiation with UV and visible light. On the other hand, our absorption spectral data and AFM observations suggest that each chemical component of Me-SS did not move continuously on a flat gold surface and was almost fixed after partially phase-separated SAM formation. The first trans-to-cis photoconversion of the Me-SS SAMs with additional free space arising from phase separation reached as high as 75 ± 3%. Repeated irradiation of the Me-SS SAMs with UV and visible light seems to cause (i) out-of-plane (homeotropic and/or oblique) reorientation and/or (ii) random arrangements of mixed trans- and cis-azobenzenes. Consequently, the initial excellent photoswitching ability declined gradually as the number of repeated irradiations increased. The observations indicate that a balance between space, intermolecular interactions, and phase separation plays an important role in forming repeatedly photoswitchable monolayers.
- Subjects :
- Photoisomerization
Homeotropic alignment
Intermolecular force
Stacking
02 engineering and technology
General Chemistry
010402 general chemistry
021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology
Photochemistry
01 natural sciences
Catalysis
0104 chemical sciences
chemistry.chemical_compound
Azobenzene
chemistry
Monolayer
Materials Chemistry
Organic chemistry
Absorption (chemistry)
0210 nano-technology
Visible spectrum
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 13699261 and 11440546
- Volume :
- 41
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- New Journal of Chemistry
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........c34cedcb2677617f9fbdda0a0e1da249