PB28 Rewritable Photorecording using Liquid Crystalline Physical Gels

Abstract

Rewritable photorecording using a liquid-crystalline physical gel has been achieved. The photoresponsive liquid-crystalline physical gel consisting of a nematic liquid crystal and a hydrogen-bonded low molecular weight gelator containing photochromic azobenzene moieties forms both a nematic gel and a cholesteric gel by the control of trans-cis photoisomerization of the azobenzene moieties. The patterns due to the formation of nematic and cholesteric gels are recorded by the photoirradiation inducing trans-cis isomerization of the azobenzenes through photomasks. These patterns are stable at room temperature for more than one year. However, the recorded patterns are erased by heating. After erasing, new patterns can be created.