Polymers And Light: Fundamentals And Technical Applications

Description:
This first book to focus on the important and topical effect of light on polymeric materials reflects the multidisciplinary nature of the topic, building a bridge between polymer chemistry and physics, photochemistry and photophysics, and materials science. Written by one experienced author, a consistent approach is maintained throughout, covering such applications as nonlinear optical materials, core materials for optical waveguides, photoresists in the production of computer chips, photoswitches and optical memories. Advanced reading for polymer, physical and organic chemists, manufacturers of optoelectronic devices, chemical engineers, and materials scientists.

Table of Contents:
Preface. Introduction. Part I Light-induced physical processes in polymers 1 Absorption of light and subsequent photophysical processes. 1.1 Principal aspects. 1.2 The molecular orbital model. 1.3 The Jablonski diagram. 1.4 Absorption in non-conjugated polymers. 1.5 Absorption in conjugated polymers. 1.6 Deactivation of electronically excited states. 1.7 Absorption and emission of polarized light. 1.8 Applications. References. 2 Photoconductivity. 2.1 Introductory remarks. 2.2 Photogeneration of charge carriers. 2.3 Transport of charge carriers. 2.4 Mechanism of charge carrier transport in amorphous polymers. 2.5 Doping. 2.6 Photoconductive polymers produced by thermal or high-energy radiation treatment. 2.7 Photoconductive polymers produced by plasma polymerization or glow discharge. References. 3 Electro-optic and nonlinear optical phenomena. 3.1 Introductory remarks. 3.2 Fundamentals. 3.3 Characterization techniques. 3.4 Nonlinear optical materials. 3.5 Applications of NLO polymers. References. 4 Photorefractivity. 4.1 The photorefractive effect. 4.2 Photorefractive formulations. 4.3 Orientational photorefractivity. 4.4 Characterization of PR materials. 4.5 Applications. References. 5 Photochromism. 5.1 Introductory remarks. 5.2 Conformational changes in linear polymers. 5.3 Photocontrol of enzymatic activity. 5.4 Photoinduced anisotropy (PIA). 5.5 Photoalignment of liquid-crystal systems. 5.6 Photomechanical effects. 5.7 Light-induced activation of second-order NLO properties. 5.8 Applicationss. References. 6 Technical developments related to photophysical processes in polymers. 6.1 Electrophotography - Xerography. 6.2 Polymeric light sources. 6.3 Polymers in photovoltaic devices. 6.4 Polymer optical waveguides. References. Part II Light-induced chemical processes in polymers. 7 Photoreactions in synthetic polymers. 7.1 Introductory remarks. 7.2 Cross-linking. 7.3 Simultaneous cross-linking and main-chain cleavage of linear polymers. 7.4 Photodegradation of selected polymers. 7.5 Oxidation. 7.6 Singlet oxygen reactions. 7.7 Rearrangements. References. 8 Photoreactions in biopolymers. 8.1 Introductory remarks. 8.2 Direct light effects. 8.3 Photosensitized reactions. References. 9 Technical developments related to photochemical processes in polymers. 9.1 Polymers in photolithography. 9.2 Laser ablation of polymers. 9.3 Stabilization of commercial polymers. References. Part III Light-induced synthesis of polymers. 10 Photopolymerization. 10.1 Introduction. 10.2 Photoinitiation of free radical polymerizations. 10.3 Photoinitiation of ionic polymerizations. 10.4 Topochemical polymerizations. References. 11 Technical developments related to photopolymerization. 11.1 General remarks. 11.2 Curing of coatings, sealants, and structural adhesives. 11.3 Curing of dental preventive and restorative systems. 11.4 Stereolithography - microfabrication. 11.5 Printing plates. 11.6 Curing of printing inks. 11.7 Holography. 11.8 Light-induced synthesis of block and graft copolymers. References. Part IV Miscellaneous technical developments. 12 Polymers in optical memories. 12.1 General aspects. 12.2 Current optical data storage systems. 12.3 Future optical data storage systems. References. 13 Polymeric photosensors. 13.1 General aspects. 13.2 Polymers as active chemical sensors. 13.3 Polymers as transducer supports. References. 14 Polymeric photocatalysts. 14.1 General aspects. 14.2 Polymers as active photocatalysts. 14.3 Polymers as supports for inorganic photocatalysts. References. Subject Index.

Author Biography:
After finishing his phD at Cologne University, Germany, Wolfram Schnabel was appointed Professor at the Technical University of Berlin. He spent one year at the Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois and is to date researcher at the Hahn-Meitner-Institute in Berlin. He published well over 300 journal articles in macromolecular chemistry, photochemistry and radiation chemistry and is the authors of three books.