Supramolecular azobenzene materials application

The photoinduction of optical anisotropy has been studied in a number of the supramolecular systems, as discussed in the previous part of the chapter. On the contrary, the choice of the supramolecular systems, in which the formation of SRG has been reported, is rather restricted. One of the reasons can be a prevailing opinion that the covalent bonding of azobenzene to polymer chain is a necessary condition for the effective light-induced mass transport. First attempts to inscribe SRG in the supramolecular system were performed on LbL films (see description of the LbL system in the previous part of this chapter), but the obtained gratings were not very deep. Although the applicability of the approach has been principally demonstrated, the obtained results rather supported the current opinion that the mass transport may be effective only in the covalently bound materials. That is why the very effective inscription of SRG in the spin-coated... 

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