Photoresponsive Properties of a Azobenzene-Based Polyacrylamide Copolymer

Abstract

A novel copolymer of poly(acrylamide-co-acrylamido azobenzene) consisting of acrylamide (AAm) and acrylamido azobenzene (AAAB) was synthesized via a free-radical polymerization route by using 2,2’-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator. The investigation of UV spectra of the copolymer aqueous solution that exposed to UV irradiation revealed that p(AAm-co-AAAB) possessed good UV photoresponsive properties. The photoresponsibility was proposed to stem from reversible transformation between cis and trans isomers of azobenzene groups in the side chains. The concentration and molar ratio of copolymer have some influence on the photoresponsive behaviors.