Microstructures of Multicomponent Systems with Crosslinked Liquid-Crystalline Polymers and Amorphous Polymers for Photoactuators

• Project/Area Number: 18K14286
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 35020:Polymer materials-related
• Research Institution: Chuo University
• Principal Investigator: Ube Toru 中央大学, 研究開発機構, 機構准教授 (80613364)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2020)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,030,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥930,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥780,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥180,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
• Keywords: 液晶高分子 / 相互侵入高分子網目 / 相分離構造 / フォトクロミズム / フォトメカニカル効果 / 架橋液晶高分子 / ソフトアクチュエーター / フォトクロミック分子 / 刺激応答性高分子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Photoresponsive and mechanical properties of photomoblile polymer materials were controlled by applying composite structures of crosslinked liquid-crystalline polymers and amorphous polymers. Interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) containing smectic liquid-crystalline polymers exhibited faster bending and unbending behaviors upon irradiation with UV and visible light compared with conventional systems. The processability of photomobile films were improved by applying semi IPN structures. Furthermore, mechanical properties were enhanced by controlling phase-separated structures of crosslinked liquid-crystalline polymers and amorphous polymers.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

高分子光運動材料は，軽量・フレキシブルで自立可能なソフトアクチュエーター材料として盛んに研究が進められている。本研究では複合構造形成による高分子光運動材料の光応答性・力学特性制御に取り組み，ミクロ構造とマクロ特性との関連を探究した。ミクロ構造制御による物性制御手法の確立は，光アクチュエーターの用途に応じた自在設計に寄与するものである。また本研究における架橋液晶高分子の複合化手法は，光運動材料のみならず他の刺激応答材料にも適用可能であると期待している。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Photoalignment in Polysiloxane Liquid‐Crystalline Elastomers with Rearrangeable Networks (2021)
  • Author(s): Ube Toru、Tsunoda Haruna、Kawasaki Kyohei、Ikeda Tomiki
  • Journal Title: Advanced Optical Materials Volume: 9 Issue: 9 Pages: 2100053-2100053
  • DOI: 10.1002/adom.202100053
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] 4.Photomobile Polymer Materials with Complex 3D Deformation, Continuous Motions, Self-Regulation, and Enhanced Processability (2019)
  • Author(s): T. Ube and T. Ikeda
  • Journal Title: Adv. Opt. Mater. Volume: 7 Issue: 16 Pages: 1900380-1900380
  • DOI: 10.1002/adom.201900380
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Development of novel network structures in crosslinked liquid-crystalline polymers (2019)
  • Author(s): Ube Toru
  • Journal Title: Polymer Journal Volume: 51 Issue: 10 Pages: 983-988
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41428-019-0224-1
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Fabrication of photomobile polymer materials with phase-separated structure of crosslinked azobenzene liquid-crystalline polymer and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (2018)
  • Author(s): Toru Ube, Takuya Yoda, Tomiki Ikeda
  • Journal Title: Liquid Crystals Volume: 45 Issue: 13-15 Pages: 2269-2273
  • DOI: 10.1080/02678292.2018.1516822
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] アゾベンゼン架橋剤を組み込んだビシクロヘキシルポリマーの光応答性 (2020)
  • Author(s): 須賀郁美・宇部達・池田富樹
  • Organizer: 第10回CSJ化学フェスタ2020
• [Presentation] マクロモノマーを用いた液晶表示デバイスの創製 (2020)
  • Author(s): 松田光成・今井順平・鈴木貴也・宇部達・藤沢宣・長谷部浩史・高津晴義・池田富樹
  • Organizer: 第10回CSJ化学フェスタ2020
• [Presentation] 異なるメソゲンを有する光運動材料の駆動特性 (2020)
  • Author(s): 須賀郁美・宇部達・池田富樹
  • Organizer: 2020年日本液晶学会オンライン研究発表会
• [Presentation] 高分子ネットワークを用いた液晶デバイスの電気光学特性 (2020)
  • Author(s): 松田光成・今井順平・鈴木貴也・宇部達・藤沢宣・長谷部浩史・高津晴義・池田富樹
  • Organizer: 2020年日本液晶学会オンライン研究発表会
• [Presentation] 高速応答を示す光駆動型相互侵入高分子網目フィルムの創出 (2020)
  • Author(s): 菅原智直、宇部達、池田富樹
  • Organizer: 日本化学会第100春季年会
• [Presentation] ビシクロヘキサン部位を有する架橋アゾベンゼン液晶高分子の光応答性 (2020)
  • Author(s): 須賀郁美、宇部達、池田富樹
  • Organizer: 日本化学会第100春季年会
• [Presentation] 架橋アゾベンゼン液晶高分子薄膜を組み込んだ多積層型光運動材料の創製 (2020)
  • Author(s): 松田侑樹、宇部達、池田富樹
  • Organizer: 日本化学会第100春季年会
• [Presentation] 多積層型光運動材料の創製 (2019)
  • Author(s): 内藤圭吾、宇部達、池田富樹
  • Organizer: 日本化学会第99春季年会
• [Presentation] Precise Actuation of Crosslinked Liquid-Crystalline Polymers by Two-Photon Processes (2018)
  • Author(s): Toru Ube, Shota Sasaki, Kenji Katayama, Masayasu Muramatsu, Hikaru Sotome, Hiroshi Miyasaka, Kenji Kamada, Tomiki Ikeda
  • Organizer: 27th International Liquid Crystal Conference (ILCC2018)
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Control of Three-Dimensional Motions in Crosslinked Liquid-Crystalline Polymer Materials (2018)
  • Author(s): Toru Ube
  • Organizer: 1st Glowing Polymer Symposium in KANTO (GPS-K2018)
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Remarks] 中央大学研究開発機構分子配向精密制御研究ユニット
  • URL: http://c-faculty.chuo-u.ac.jp/~tikeda/ikedalab/
• [Remarks] 中央大学研究開発機構精密分子配向研究ユニット
  • URL: http://c-faculty.chuo-u.ac.jp/~tikeda/ikedalab/