Precise Actuation of Bilayer Photomechanical Films Coated with Molecular Azobenzene Chromophores

Bilayer photomechanical films are fabricated by depositing one layer of molecular azobenzene chromophores onto flexible low-density polyethylene substrates. The photoinduced bending and unbending behavior of five azobenzene derivatives including azobenzene, 4-hydroxyazobenzene, 4-((4-hydroxyphenyl) diazenyl) bezoitrile, 4-((4-methoxyph-enyl) diazenyl) phenol, and 4-(phenyldiazenyl) phenol is systematically studied by considering the incident light intensity and the thickness of the coated chromophore layers. Precise control of photoinduced curling of the bilayer film is successfully achieved upon irradiation with two beams of UV light, and the curled films can be recovered by thermal relaxation in the dark. The easily fabricated bilayer films show fast photomechanical response, strong photoinduced stress, and stability similar to crosslinked polymeric films.