Development of refractive index change polymers based on novel photo-rearrangement reaction

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K05889
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Polymer chemistry
• Research Institution: Kanagawa University
• Principal Investigator: Kameyama Atsushi 神奈川大学, 工学部, 教授 (80231265)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 芳香族複素環 / 光転位 / 分子屈折 / 高分子 / 屈折率変化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to develop polymeric materials that their refractive index increase based on novel photo-rearrangement. The compounds that generate C=O or C=S groups during the photo-rearrangement were designed. Some aromatic heterocycle-containing carboxylic acid derivatives and benzyl derivatives were synthesized to investigate their photochemical reaction. It was revealed that the photo-rearrangement of the compounds selectively proceeded. Polystyrene and ladder-type polysilsesquioxane derivatives with the photo reactive groups in side chains were synthesized. The photo-rearrangement of the polymers in the film state was examined to found that the photo-rearrangement proceeds selectively. The refractive index of the polymer films increased from 0.008 to 0.04 after the photo-rearrangement, and it was demonstrated that the synthesized polymers are useful as refractive index changing polymers.

Free Research Field

高分子化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

光や熱などの外部刺激で屈折率が変化する屈折率変化高分子は、光通信における光導波路や光記録素子への応用が期待されている。既知の屈折率変化高分子で利用されている光化学反応は、ほとんどが教科書記載の光化学反応であるが、様々な課題が指摘されている。したがって、選択的で高効率の新奇な光転位反応による屈折率変化を確立し、それを基盤とした光機能性高分子の研究は学術的意義、および高速通信を実現するための素材開発として大きな意義がある。本研究では、新規光転位官能基を有する、ビニル系ポリマー、ラダー型ポリシルセスキオキサン、ポリウレタンなど様々な構造の屈折率変化高分子を開発した。