Inorganic–Organic Hybrid Photomechanical Crystals of Azobenzene-modified Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS)
Ryota Kajiya, Hiroaki Wada, Kazuyuki Kuroda, Atsushi Shimojima
Abstract
A new class of inorganic–organic hybrid photomechanical material has been created by mono-substitution of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) with an azobenzene group via amide bond formation. This compound formed needle-like molecular crystals showing reversible photoinduced bending motions. This finding provides a new design concept of photomechanical materials for various applications. A new class of inorganic–organic hybrid photomechanical material has been created by mono-substitution of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) with an azobenzene group via amide bond formation. This compound formed needle-like molecular crystals showing reversible photoinduced bending motions. This finding provides a new design concept of photomechanical materials for various applications.