A NEW TREND IN PHOTOPOLYMERS BASED ON THE COMMANDER/SOLDIER CONCEPT

Some photosensitive molecular systems are triggered by the photon absorption leading to the structural change of commander molecules which initiate the consequent processes consisting of structural as well as orientational modification of a large number of soldier molecules. The novel commander/soldier systems include photoinduced phase changes of liquid crystals, surface-mediated liquid crystal alignment photoregulation and photoregulation of the helical sense of a poly(isocyanate). Further discussions are made on the molecular amplification of photopolymer systems.