Influence of alkylene spacer length on the photoinduced reorientation of polymethacrylate with benzoic acid side groups and N-benzylideneaniline carboxylic acid composite films

Abstract

Photoinduced reorientation of composite films of liquid crystalline polymethacrylate comprised of benzoic acid (BA) side groups with different length alkylene spacer (PnBAM; n = 2, 6, 10) and N-benzylideneaniline carboxylic acid (NBA) is investigated using linearly polarized (LP) 365 nm light. Significant thermally stimulated in-plane molecular orientation is attained when P6BAM (n = 6) is used, but higher amount of NBA is required for the in-plane reorientation of P2BAM (n = 2) films and out-of-plane motion of the BA side groups is observed for P10BAM (n = 10) films.