Photomechanical materials
have received increasing attention because
of their wide range of potential applications. This paper reports
the design of photoresponsive inorganic–organic hybrid molecules
consisting of diarylethene and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane
(POSS) linked by amide bonds. The POSS modification of diarylethene
enhanced the conversion ratio from the open- to the closed-ring isomers
upon UV irradiation in a solution. When isobutyl-substituted POSSs
were introduced, hydrogen-bonded molecular crystals with a long needle-like
morphology were obtained. Reversible photochromic responses and photoinduced
macroscopic bending of these crystals upon ultraviolet (UV) and visible
light (Vis) irradiations have been achieved. The high fatigue resistance
of the diarylethene moiety combined with enhanced thermal stability
endowed by the siloxane moiety is promising for practical applications
in actuators and other smart devices.
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