Thermal Isomerization of Hydroxyazobenzenes as a Platform for Vapor Sensing.

ABSTRACT: Photoisomerization of azobenzene derivatives is a versatile tool for devising light-responsive materials for a broad range of applications in photonics, robotics, microfabrication, and biomaterials science. Some applications rely on fast isomerization kinetics, while for others, bistable azobenzenes are preferred. However, solid-state materials where the isomerization kinetics depends on the environmental conditions have been largely overlooked. Herein, an approach to utilize the environmental sensitivity of isomerization kinetics is developed. It is demonstrated that thin polymer films containing hydroxyazobenzenes offer a conceptually novel platform for sensing hydrogen-bonding vapors in the environment. The concept is based on accelerating the thermal cis-trans isomerization rate throug

SUBMITTER: Poutanen M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5871339 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature