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- Azobenzene containing cationic surfactants (1)
- Opto-mechanically induced scission of (1)
- Photosensitive polymer brushes (1)
- azobenzene containing surfactants (1)
- domain memory in polymer brushes (1)
- light driven reversible change of surface topography and thickness (1)
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We report on rendering polyelectrolyte brushes photosensitive by loading them with azobenzene-containing cationic surfactants. Planar poly( methacrylic acid) (PMAA) brushes are synthesized using the "grafting from" free-radical polymerization scheme followed by exposure to a solution of photosensitive surfactants consisting of positively-charged head groups and hydrophobic tails into which azobenzene moieties are inserted. In this study the length of the hydrophobic methylene spacer connecting the azobenzene and the charged head group ranges from 4 to 10 CH2 groups. Under irradiation with UV light, the photo-isomerization of azobenzene integrated into a surfactant results in a change in size, geometry, dipole moment and free volume of the whole molecule. When the brush loaded with photosensitive surfactants is exposed to irradiation with UV interference patterns, the topography of the brush deforms following the distribution of the light intensity, exhibiting surface relief gratings (SRG). Since SRG formation is accompanied by a local rupturing of polymer chains in areas from which the polymer material is receding, most of the polymer material is removed from the surface during treatment with good solvent, leaving behind characteristic patterns of lines or dots. The azobenzene molecules still integrated within the polymer film can be removed by washing the brush with water. The remaining nano-structured brush can then be re-used for further functionalization. Although the opto-mechanically induced rupturing occurs for all surfactants, larger species do not penetrate deep enough into the brush such that after rupturing a leftover layer of polymer material remains on the substrate. This indicates that rupturing occurs predominantly in regions of high surfactant density.
We investigate light-induced changes in thickness and roughness of photosensitive polymer brushes containing azobenzene cationic surfactants by atomic force microscopy (AFM) in real time during light irradiation. Because the cis-state of azobenzene unit requires more free volume than its trans counterpart, the UV light-induced expansion of polymer thin films associated with the trans-to-cis isomerism of azobenzene groups is expected to occur. This phenomenon is well documented in physisorbed polymer films containing azobenzene groups. In contrast, photosensitive polymer brushes show a decrease in thickness under UV irradiation. We have found that the azobenzene surfactants in their trans-state form aggregates within the brush. Under irradiation, the surfactants undergo photoisomerization to the cis-state, which is more hydrophilic. As a consequence, the aggregates within the brush are disrupted, and the polymer brush contracts. When subsequently irradiated with blue light the polymer brush thickness returns back to its initial value. This behavior is related to isomerization of the surfactant to the more hydrophobic trans-state and subsequent formation of surfactant aggregates within the polymer brush. The photomechanical function of the dry polymer brush, i.e., contraction and expansion, was found to be reversible with repeated irradiation cycles and requires only a few seconds for switching. In addition to the thickness change, the roughness of the brush also changes reversibly between a few Angstroms (blue light) and several nanometers (UV light). Photosensitive polymer brushes represent smart films with light responsive thickness and roughness that could be used for generating dynamic fluctuating surfaces, the function of which can be turned on and off in a controllable manner on a nanometer length scale.
We introduce a versatile mechanism of light-driven self-propelled motion applied to porous Janus-type particles. The mechanism is based on the generation of local light-driven diffusio-osmotic (l-LDDO) flow around each single porous particle subjected to suitable irradiation conditions. The photosensitivity is introduced by a cationic azobenzene containing surfactant, which undergoes a photoisomerization reaction from a more hydrophobic trans-state to a rather hydrophilic cis-state under illumination with light. The negatively charged porous silica particles are dispersed in a corresponding aqueous solution and absorb molecules in their trans-state but expel them in their cis-state. During illumination with blue light triggering both trans-cis and cis-trans isomerization at the same time, the colloids start to move due to the generation of a steady-state diffusive flow of cis-isomers out of and trans-isomers into the particle. This is because a hemi-spherical metal cap partially sealing the colloid breaks the symmetry of the otherwise radially directed local flow around the particle, leading to self-propelled motion. Janus particles exhibit superdiffusive motion with a velocity of similar to 0.5 mu m/s and a persistence length of ca. 50 mu m, confined to microchannels the direction can be maintained up to 300 mu m before rotational diffusion reverts it. Particles forming dimers of different shapes can be made to travel along circular trajectories. The unique feature of this mechanism is that the strength of self-propulsion can be tuned by convenient external optical stimuli (intensity and irradiation wavelength) such that a broad variety of experimental situations can be realized in a spatiotemporal way and in situ.
We report on guided and self-organized motion of ensembles of mesoporous colloidal particles that can undergo dynamic aggregation or separation upon exposure to light. The forces on particles involve the phenomenon of light-driven diffusioosmosis (LDDO) and are hydrodynamic in nature. They can be made to act passively on the ensemble as a whole but also used to establish a mutual interaction between particles. The latter scenario requires a porous colloid morphology such that the particle can act as a source or sink of a photosensitive surfactant, which drives the LDDO process. The interplay between the two modes of operation leads to fascinating possibilities of dynamical organization and manipulation of colloidal ensembles adsorbed at solid-liquid interfaces. While the passive mode can be thought of to allow for a coarse structuring of a cloud of colloids, the inter-particle mode may be used to impose a fine structure on a 2D particle grid. Local flow is used to impose and tailor interparticle interactions allowing for much larger interaction distances that can be achieved with, e.g., DLVO type of forces, and is much more versatile.