New developments in photochromic polymers

New developments on photochromic polymers have been obtained with systems containing spirobenzopyran derivatives. The importance of the chemical incorporation of the photochrome within the polymer backbone is stressed, and the influence of matrix orientation on the rate of fading is shown. Well known fatigue phenomena are illustrated on the basis of the changes of photostationary optical density on repeating the irradiation–dark recovery cycle. The photomechanical properties and characteristics of rubbery polyethylacrylates crosslinked with the photochrome bismethacrylate are considered in detail. Another principle of photochromism based on photodissociation phenomena is also discussed in the case of the photodissociation and photorecombination of anthracene derivatives and benzacridizinium tosylate, as well as in the case of the photodissociation and thermal recombination of benzpinacol groups incorporated in the polymer main chain. In these experiments in the solid state, it can be shown that the recombination involves always two successive steps: a rapid step corresponding to cage recombination and a second slow step related to diffusion and segment mobility (T_g) of the polymer.