Kinetics of the aggregation of poly(N-phenylisocyanide), optical detection of strain using polymer sensors, and photochemistry of azobenzene analogues

TL;DRAbstract

Organoisocyanide polymers have been studied intensively since the 1960s. It has been assumed that polyisocyanides exist as a tightly wound helix and this is always present in these polymers. However, our results indicate that the N-phenyl-polyiminomethylene (N-$\\varphi$-PIM) is not a purely helical polymer in solution. N-$\\varphi$-PIM is fairly soluble in THF, CH$\\sb2$Cl$\\sb2$ and CCl$\\sb4$ but aggregation and precipitation occur in solution. UV-Vis spectra were obtained to probe the kinetics of the aggregation process in solution. Our results are best interpreted by assuming that N-$\\varphi$-PIM undergoes an uncoiling of the rigid rod helix in solution. Possible mechanisms of aggregation are also discussed in this study. Conventional metal strain gages are inexpensive but the reproducibility is not good at high strains and they are not sensitive at very low strain. Polymer sensors have the advantages of being cheap, easily manipulated and tunable by synthesis. It has been found

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