Waterproof material for liquid crystals photoalignment based on azo dyes

Abstract

We have designed and synthesized azo dyes with reversible intermolecular bonds, which can be used as materials for liquid crystal photoalignment. The generation of anisotropic structures in azo dye thin film is possible due to the presence of intermolecular hydrogen or coordination (metal–oxygen) bonds. All thin film materials are resistant to air moisture, while photoalignment material with reversible hydrogen bonds is inert to direct water contact. In this paper, we study photoalignment dynamics of obtained materials and discuss possible formation of intramolecular and intermolecular hydrogen bonds within the photoalignment dye layer.