Suppression effect and coupled two-time motion of the photoisomerization in the crosslinking polymer system

Abstract

The photoisomerization of the crosslinked and uncrosslinked polymer-pair with azo linkages was studied by the photoinduced birefringence. The photoisomerization of azo chromophores could be controlled by crosslinking process. The inducement of birefringence in crosslinked system indicates that the photoisomerization of chromophore rearranges the orientation not only of the chromophore itself but also of polymer main chain. From the data analysis by biexponential function, it is found that there are two characteristic time scales in the photoisomerization process and they exhibit a coupled relation. © 2001 Taylor and Francis, Inc.