Facile fabrication of photoalignment film of non-photoreactive liquid crystalline polymer by top-coating of cinnamic acid monomer via H-bonds

Abstract

Facile fabrication of a photoalignment film of non-photoreactive liquid crystalline (LC) polymer comprised of benzoic acid (BA) side groups (PBA) by top-coating of photoreactive cinnamic acid (CA) monomer via H-bonds between PBA and CA is investigated. Linearly polarized ultraviolet (LPUV) light irradiated to top-coating film generates an axis-selective photoreaction of CA, and molecular reorientation is induced by subsequent thermal treatment at LC temperature. H-bond formation between PBA-CA plays an important role in the effective photoinduced reorientation of BA side group.