화학공학소재연구정보센터
Macromolecules, Vol.53, No.14, 5701-5710, 2020
Photochromic Polymers Based on Fluorophenyl Oxime Ester Photoinitiators as Photoswitchable Molecules
We designed and synthesized two novel fluorophenyl oxime ester photoinitiators (E-FBOXEs) with the ability to prepare photochromic polymers, and then photochromic polymers based on E-FBOXEs were prepared by fast photopolymerization. E-FBOXEs can initiate photopolymerization of tripropylene glycol diacrylate under UV LED irradiation at 395 nm, and the final double bond conversion is achieved up to 81%. Meanwhile, the photocured film (PTPGDA) initiated or doped with E-FBOXE-Me displays thermally reversible photochromism at a moderate temperature (50 degrees C), switching from brown to colorless, because the photochromism of E-FBOXE-Me depends on the cleavage of the N-O bond, resulting in the generation of acetoxy radicals and colored iminyl radicals in the planar conformation under irradiation at 395 nm, and the recombination of the radicals to form colorless E-FBOXE-Me molecules in the nonplanar conformation under heating. Importantly, the PTPGDA film exhibits good fatigue resistance. The E-FBOXEs have great potential for application in the preparation of photochromic polymeric materials.