Colorimetric response of azobenzene-terminated polydiacetylene vesicles under thermal and photic stimuli

We study the colorimetric reversibility of pure polymerized p-nitro azobenzene moiety-substituted diacetylene (PNADA) and PNADA/polymerized 10,12-pentacosadiynoic acid (PDA) complex vesicles under thermal and photic stimuli. Because of the strong intermolecular interaction among azobenzene mesogens within the vesicles, PNADA vesicles show enhanced stability and completely reversible thermochromic response. Polydiacetylene based complex vesicles with partial reversible chromatic properties under both thermal and photonic stimuli were reported for the first time, which provided a novel model system for the understanding of the chromatic transition mechanism of polydiacetylene materials. (C) 2009 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.