Photoactive Functional Soft Materials

This book covers the design, synthesis, properties, and applications of functional photoactive soft materials, including aspects of polymers, block copolymers, elastomers, biomaterials, liquid crystals, chemical and physical gels, colloids, and host-guest systems. It combines, in a unified manner, authoritative accounts describing various structural and functional aspects of photoactive soft materials. Photoactive Functional Soft Materials: Preparation, Properties, and Applications: * Brings together the state-of-the-art knowledge on photoactive functional soft materials in a unified manner * Covers a vibrant research field with tremendous application potential in areas such as optoelectronics, photonics, and energy generation * Appeals to a large interdisciplinary audience because it is highly useful for researchers and engineers working on photonics, optoelectronics, imaging and sensing, nanotechnology, and energy materials Photoactive Functional Soft Materials: Preparation, Properties and Applications focuses on the design and fabrication of photoactive functional soft materials for materials science, nanophotonics, nanotechnology, and biomedical applications.

This book compiles the accomplishments of the recent research project on photochemistry “Photosynergetics”, supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, aiming to develop and elucidate new methods and molecules leading to advanced utilization of photo-energies. Topics include photochemical responses induced by multiple excitation, multiphoton absorption, strong modulation of electronic states, developments of new photofunctional molecules, mesoscopic actuations induced by photoexcitation, and novel photoresponses in molecules and molecular assemblies. The authors stress that these approaches based on the synergetic interaction among many photons and many molecules enable the expansion of the accessibility to specific electronic states. As well, they explain how the development of reaction sequences and molecules/molecular assemblies ensure “additivity” and “integration” without loss of the photon energy, leading to new photoresponsive assemblies in meso- and macroscopic scales.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of various self-assemblies in liquid crystalline polymers and their electrical, optical, mechanical, and flame retardant properties. Liquid crystalline polymers are unique self-assembled, functional soft materials with electrical, magnetic, and thermal responses which find potential applications in numerous areas. As well as providing an overview of their synthesis, self-assembly and dynamics the various applications are also discussed. Such applications as liquid crystalline elastomers, light responsive actuators, optical reflectors, gas barrier films, and even flame retardant polymers will be presented. The book is a useful resource for undergraduates, postgraduates and experienced researchers.

The only comprehensive treatment of nanophotonics currently available Photonics is an all-encompassing optical science and technology which has impacted a diverse range of fields, from information technology to health care. Nanophotonics is photonic science and technology that utilizes light-matter interactions on the nanoscale, where researchers are discovering new phenomena and developing technologies that go well beyond what is possible with conventional photonics and electronics. These new technologies could include efficient solar power generation, high-bandwidth and high-speed communications, high-capacity data storage, and flexible- and high-contrast displays. In addition, nanophotonics will continue to impact biomedical technologies by providing new and powerful diagnostic techniques, as well as light-guided and activated therapies. Nanophotonics provides the only available comprehensive treatment of this exciting, multidisciplinary field, offering a wide range of topics covering: * Foundations * Materials * Applications * Theory * Fabrication Nanophotonics introduces students to important and timely concepts and provides scientists and engineers with a cutting-edge reference. The book is intended for anyone who wishes to learn about light-matter interactions on the nanoscale, as well as applications of photonics for nanotechnology and nanobiotechnology. Written by an acknowledged leader in the field, this text provides an essential resource for those interested in the future of materials science and engineering, nanotechnology, and photonics.

Polymer-Based Advanced Functional Composites for Optoelectronic and Energy Applications explains how polymer-based smart composites and nanocomposites can be prepared and utilized for novel optical, sensor and energy-related applications. The book begins with an introductory section on the fundamentals of smart polymer composites, including structure-property relationships and conjugated polymers. Other sections examine optical applications, including the use of polymer-based smart composites for luminescent solar concentrators, electro-chromic applications, light conversion applications, ultraviolet shielding applications, LED encapsulation applications, sensor applications, including gas-sensing, strain sensing, robotics and tactile sensors, with final sections covering energy-related applications, including energy harvesting, conversion, storage, vibrational energy harvesting, and more. This is an essential guide for researchers, scientists and advanced students in smart polymers and materials, polymer science, composites, nanocomposites, electronics and materials science. It is also a valuable book for scientists, R&D professionals and engineers working with products that could utilize smart polymer composites. Provides thorough coverage of the latest pioneering research in the field of polymer-based smart composites Offers an applications-oriented approach, enabling the reader to understand state-of-the-art optical, sensor and energy applications Includes an in-depth introductory section, covering important aspects such as structure-property relationships and the role of conjugated polymers

The Nato Advanced Study Institute "Phase Transitions in Liquid Crystals" was held May 2-12, 1991, in Erice, Sicily. This was the 16th conference organized by the International School of Quantum Electronics, under the auspices of the "Ettore Majorana" Centre for Scientific Culture. The subject of "Liquid Crystals" has made amazing progress since the last ISQE Course on this subject in 1985. The present Proceedings give a tutorial introduction to today's most important areas, as well as a review of current results by leading researchers. We have brought together some of the world's acknowledged experts in the field to summarize both the present state of their research and its background. Most of the lecturers attended all the lectures and devoted their spare hours to stimulating discussions. We would like to thank them all for their admirable contributions. The Institute also took advantage of a very active audience; most of the students were active researchers in the field and contributed with discussions and seminars. Some of these student seminars are also included in these Proceedings. We did not modify the original manuscripts in editing this book, but we did group them according to the following topics: 1) "Theoretical Foundations"; 2) "Thermotropic Liquid Crystals"; 3) "Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals"; 4) "Polymeric Liquid Crystals"; and 5) "Lyotropic Liquid Crystals".

Azobenzene is an unusual "regular" molecule with fascinating possibilities and endless surprises. The mono- and multilayer behavior of azobenzene-containing materials, the photoinduced motion, and the possibility of massive material displacement well below the glass transition temperature open yet new avenues of research and applications. This book contains oral and poster presentations of the symposium "Azobenzene-Containing materials" held at Boston ACS Fall Meeting 1998. It will help people understand why is this subject so fascinating and it will attract even more researchers to the area.

Offers a comprehensive review of the research and development of mechanically responsive materials and their applications in soft robots Mechanically Responsive Materials for Soft Robotics offers an authoritative guide to the current state of mechanically responsive materials for the development of soft robotics. With contributions from an international panel of experts, the book examines existing mechanically responsive materials such as crystals, polymers, gels, and composites that are stimulated by light and heat. The book also explores the application of mechanical materials to soft robotics. The authors describe the many excellent mechanical crystals developed in recent years that show the ability to bend, twist, rotate, jump, self-heal, and shape memory. Mechanical polymer materials are described for evolution into artificial muscles, photomobile materials, bioinspired soft actuators, inorganic-organic hybrid materials, multi-responsive composite materials, and strain sensor materials. The application of mechanical materials to soft robots is just the beginning. This book reviews the many challenging and versatile applications, such as soft microrobots made from photoresponsive elastomers, four-dimensional printing for assembling soft robots, self-growing of soft robots like plants, and biohybrid robots using muscle tissue. This important book: -Explores recent developments in the use of soft smart materials in robotic systems -Covers the full scope of mechanically responsive materials: polymers, crystals, gels, and nanocomposites -Deals with an interdisciplinary topic of advanced smart materials research -Contains extensive descriptions of current and future applications in soft robotics Written for materials scientists, polymer chemists, photochemists, physical chemists, solid state chemists, inorganic chemists, and robotics engineers, Mechanically Responsive Materials for Soft Robotics offers a comprehensive and timely review of the most recent research on mechanically responsive materials and the manufacture of soft robotics.

The fundamental photophysical properties of iridium(III) materials make this class of materials the pre-eminent transition metal complex for use in optoelectronic applications. Iridium(III) in Optoelectronic and Photonics Applications represents the definitive account of photoactive iridium complexes and their use across a wide variety of applications. This two-volume set begins with an overview of the synthesis of these complexes and discusses their photophysical properties. The text highlights not only mononuclear complexes but also the properties of multinuclear and polymeric iridium-based materials and the assembly of iridium complexes into larger supramolecular architectures such as MOFs and soft materials. Chapters devoted to the use of these iridium-based materials in diverse optoelectronic applications follow, including: electroluminescent devices such as organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and light-emitting electrochemical cells (LEECs); electrochemiluminescence (ECL); bioimaging; sensing; light harvesting in the context of solar cell applications; in photoredox catalysis and as components for solar fuels. Although primarily targeting a chemistry audience, the wide applicability of these compounds transcends traditional disciplines, making this text also of use to physicists, materials scientists or biologists who have interests in these areas.