Phase state and photooptical behavior of blends of LC copolymers with low-molecular-mass photochromic additives stabilized by hydrogen bonds

The blends of functionalized LC copolymers containing alkylhydroxybenzoic acid with low-molecular-mass crystalline photochromic compounds 4-(4-pyridyloyl)oxyazobenzene and 4-aminoazobenzene were prepared. The formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds yields blends incapable of phase separation at the concentration of photochromic groups ranging from 5 to 25 mol %. An increase in the concentration of photochromic groups favors a change in the phase state of the functionalized LC copolymers. It was shown that, in principle, hydrogen-bonded photochromic blends may be used as optically active media for data recording.