Photoinduced swelling control of amphiphilic azoaromatic polymer membrane

Abstract

To control the swelling of polymer membrane by photoirradiation amphiphilic azoaromatic polymer membranes were prepared and a photoinduced change in the swelling degree of water was investigated. The azobenzene moiety in the side chain of the polymer was isomerized from trans form to cis form by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and reverse isomerization was found by visible light irradiation. The swelling degree of the polymer membrane for water in the dark was decreased by UV radiation, and when visible light irradiation was carried out in the polymer membrane the degree of swelling recovered to the original level. The swelling degree decreased with an increase in the mole fraction of the azobenzene moiety in the dark and under UV irradiation. The deswelling degree of the polymer membrane by UV irradiation also decreased with an increase in the mole fraction of the azobenzene moiety. This reversible change in the swelling degree was considered to be caused by the photoisomerization of the azobenzene moiety in the polymer membrane.