Investigation on Viscoelasticity of Waterborne Polyurethane with Azobenzene-containing Pendant Groups under Ultraviolet and Visible-light Irradiation

In this study, a novel waterborne polyurethane (WPU) with azobenzene-containing (azo-containing) pendant groups was synthesized by isophorone diisocyanate, long-chain diol of polycaprolactone, 2-ethyl-2-methyl-butanoic acid (2,2-dimethylolpropionic acid), 10-(4-(phenyldiazenyl)phenoxy)decyl-3-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methylpropanoate, and N,N-diethyl-ethanamine (triethylamine). Moreover, the influence of ultraviolet and visible (UV-Vis) light irradiation on the viscoelasticity of azo-containing WPU film in terms of the reversible trans-cis photoisomerization of azo-containing pendant groups was investigated by UV-Vis light spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and dynamic thermomechanical analysis. The results revealed that the adhesion of azo-containing WPU with single crystal silicon atomic force microscope probe was about 13 nN when irradiated by 450 nm Vis light for 60 s at 25 °C. Subsequently, the adhesion increased to 82 nN after irradiation with 365 nm UV light for 60 s at 25 °C. In addition, the azo-containing WPU presented a photo-induced reversible transition of tensile modulus and tanδ in the range from about 2 MPa to 22 MPa and 6000 to 0.35 with UV-Vis light cyclic irradiation for 120 s at 25 °C, respectively.