Thermally Reversible Phase Separation of Poly(vinyl acetate)-Quaternary Salts Hybrid Films and Their Application for Rewritable Displays

Abstract

In order to create novel materials for use in rewritable displays, new hybrid films composed of poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) and quaternary salts have been investigated. It was found that hybrid films of PVAc-tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate and PVAc-tetrabutylphosphonium tetrafluoroborate exhibited thermally reversible phase separation-dissolution behavior and the states at room temperature were controllable by thermal history. In addition, reversible display switching and fluorescence modulation were demonstrated by controlling the states of the films by thermal treatment.