Synthesis of Crosslinked Liquid-Crystalline Polymer Brushes on Flexible Polymer Films Toward Photomobile Materials

We prepared crosslinked azobenzene liquid-crystalline polymer brushes on flexible polymer films by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization and a subsequent crosslinking reaction. Reversible isomerization of azobenzene moieties was observed in the crosslinked films upon irradiation with UV and visible light. Upon exposure to linearly polarized UV light, the films bent slightly along the polarization direction of light toward an actinic light source. After turning off the UV light, the films maintained the bent shape, and then reverted to the initial form by irradiation with visible light. We have successfully developed a novel photomobile material with crosslinked azobenzene liquid-crystalline polymer brushes.