Monolayer behaviors for the photochromic liquid crystalline copolymers with azobenzene and cholesterol side groups

Monolayer behaviors for a series of newly synthesized photochromic liquid c rystalline copolymers were studied. Results showed that the azo-homopolymer would aggregate heavily after spreading and its monolayer was not suitable for deposition of the reversible photochromic LB film. However, the liquid crystallinity, which resulted by introducing mesogenic cholesteric side ch ains, could reduce monolayer aggregation and improve reversible photoinduce d structural change in LB films. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Limited. All rig hts reserved.