Quasi-Liquid Crystalline Materials with Special Electro-Optic Properties. Periodic Report No. 5

摘要

During the past six months we have completed synthesis and investigation of side chain liquid crystal polysiloxanes containing photochromic spiropyran side groups (item C, Section IV of the Research Proposal). The polymers exhibit both thermo- and photochromic properties. By changing temperature and wavelength of light we could control the polymer color. Three primary colors (yellow, blue and red) were obtained. The color changes stemmed from spiropyran-merocyanine conversion and aggregation of the merocyanine side groups. Our research plans include further examination of optical properties of the photo-thermochromic liquid crystal polymers, including laser irradiation effects.