Preparation and characterization of novel side-chain azobenzene polymers containing tetrazole group

Abstract

A novel methacrylate monomer containing azobenzene chromophore and tetrazole moiety, 4′-(2-methacryloxyethyl)methylamino-4-(5-chlorotetrazol-1-yl)azobenzene (MACA), was synthesized and polymerized to form homopolymer (PMACA) via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using 2-cyanoprop-2-yl dithiobenzoate (CPDB) as the RAFT agent and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator in dimethyl formamide (DMF) solution. Meanwhile, block copolymers (PMMA-b-PMACAs) were successfully obtained by RAFT polymerization of MACA using PMMA as the macro-RAFT agent and AIBN as an initiator. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) characterization indicated that polymers with well-controlled molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mns<1.30) were obtained. The structures of these polymers were characterized by 1H NMR and FT-IR spectra. Thermal and photoisomerization behaviors of the polymers indicated that these polymers were amorphous state with good heat stability and photoisomerization performance. Relationship between the electrochemical behavior of block copolymer (PMMA-b-PMACA) and the photoisomerization of azobenzene was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in chloroform solution, which showed that the oxidation peak of copolymer shifted from 1.0V to 0.6V during azobenzene isomerization from trans to cis form. Furthermore, surface relief gratings (SRGs) formed on the films of PMMA-b-PMACAs were also investigated with illumination of a linearly polarized Kr+ laser beam. The diffraction efficiency of the SRGs was 1.22 (PMMA-b-PMACA1), 2.38 (PMMA-b-PMACA2) and 3.02 (PMMA-b-PMACA3), respectively, which increased with the azobenzene contain for the copolymers.