Photo-responsive structural color on self assembly of giant block copolymer

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K05238
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 35020:Polymer materials-related
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Kim sunnam 熊本大学, 大学院先端科学研究部(工), 助教 (00612532)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: block copolymer / photonic crystal / self assembly

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we synthesized an amphipathic block copolymer (BCP) for the purpose of developing a polymer periodic structure having a huge period length that diffracts visible light. By utilizing the self-assembly that occurs in the solution, a periodic structure can be formed in a short time, and the expansion of the molecular chain was obtained by utilizing the repulsion due to ionization. Since the volume of the hydrophobic part is about 0.01% and the volume of the lattice points (aggregated hydrophobic parts) is very small compared to the period length, high controllability of the structural color can be expected.

Free Research Field

高分子材料

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

BCPの自己組織化により形成される周期構造体は、特にナノ構造制御の分野において興味深い現象である。特に、アゾベンゼン高分子の光異性化に伴う複屈折率特性の変化を利用することで、構造色の制御を達成するものであり、光と物質の相互作用を最大限に利用した独創性の高いアプローチと言える。得られた成果として、複雑な作製プロセスを必要としない塗布するだけで利用可能な表示材料が作製できる可能性を見出し、学術および応用の両観点において意義深いものである。