We propose that large, reversible shape changes in solids, of between 10%-400%, can be induced optically by photoisomerizing monodomain nematic elastomers. Empirical and molecular analysis of shape change and its relation to thermal effects is given along with a simple model of the dynamics of response. Our experiments demonstrate these effects for the first time and theory is compared qualitatively with our results.

We consider alignment of a symmetric diblock copolymer melt thin film or bulk phase by an electric field using a capacitor analogy. For the lamellar phase we show that alignment of the lamellae in the direction perpendicular to the bounding electrodes, compared to parallel alignment, occurs for thicker films. For thin films the critical electric field required for a transition from parallel to perpendicular alignment is proportional to H -1/2 , where H is the film thickness. We also consider the possibility of a mixed lamellar morphology where, because the bounding electrodes prefer one block, parallel layers form adjacent to the electrodes, while in the interior region there is perpendicular alignment. We determine the conditions for such a morphology.

We study a system of grafted polymers in a poor solvent by self-consistent-field methods as well as Monte-Carlo simulation methods. We observe a number of different morphological structures including an inverted solvent micelle or hole in the polymer layer, a lamella-like micelle structure, and fused, spherical micelle structures. These structures can be obtained by either varying the grafting density or chain length. We also develop a scaling theory for the existence of these structures and find reasonable agreement between this theory and our numerical calculations.