Photomechanical Solid Polymers: Model for Pressure and Strain Induced by Photoisomerization and Photo-Orientation

Photoactive polymers are important for fundamental studies and applications in several area of photonics such as data storage and holography and nonlinear optics and photomechanics. The latter is perhaps one of the most important applications of such materials, since they act as light to mechanical energy transducers and move under light action. For example, azo-polymers irradiated by inhomogeneous resonant ultra-violet or visible light undergo molecular and macroscopic motion, at sub-glass transition temperatures by photoisomerization of the azo dyes. Our recent research in this field highlighted the fundamentals of mobility enhancement by light, including light-induced viscosity change and acceleration of relaxation times, and photomechanics, encompassing motions in gradients of actinic light leading to surface structuring and actuation. In this paper, we present an original model which predicts the creation of mechanical pressure, i.e., motion, by a photo-induced change in the occupied volume and length of anisometric isomers, and we give simple analytical expressions describing the dynamics of volume as well as strain change upon polarized light irradiation of photomechanic samples.

Automated summary

Photoactive polymers play a crucial role in various areas of photonics, including data storage, holography, nonlinear optics, and photomechanics. Photomechanics, in particular, is an important application where these materials convert light energy into mechanical motion. This paper presents a novel model that predicts the generation of mechanical pressure through photo-induced changes in the volume and length of anisometric isomers, and provides simple analytical expressions to describe the dynamics of volume and strain changes when photomechanic samples are irradiated with polarized light.