Ultrathin Films of Main-Chain Type Liquid Crystalline Polymers Containing Azobenzene Moiety Formed at Interfaces

Abstract

To date little knowledge has been obtained on the ultrathin film formation of main-chain type liquid crystalline (LC) polymers at the air-water interface. We report herein the Langmuir monolayer formation of a family of amphiphiiic main-chain LC polymers containing oligo(ethylene oxide) (EO) chain. The spreading behavior, contact angle of water, atomic force microscopy and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy all support the packing modal that the main chain is folded at every EO unit with a stretched aikylene spacer in the monolayer Clear odd-even effects stemming from the carbon number of the alkylene spacer were also found.