Synthesis and Characterization of Photorefractive Polymer containing Multifunctional Chromophore

Abstract The main chain photorefractive polymer (PUA-M) having multifunctional chromophore was synthesized by the step-growth polymerization from N-hydroxyethylcarbazole-4′-[6-(hydroxysulfonyl)]-azobenzene (Azo-2OH) and 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate. The molecular weight of the resulting polymer was determined to be Mw=41,300 (Mw/Mn=1.19) by the gel permeation chromatography using polystyrene as a standard, and could be processed into optical quality films. The thermal properties of PUA-M were detected by DSC and TGA. It shows a glass transition temperature of 183°C and an initial decomposition temperature of 223°C. The absorption maximum in UV/vis spectrum of PUA-M film was detected at 416 nm. The second-order nonlinear coefficient (d 33) of PUA-M was about 27 pm/V. The studies into the detailed photorefractive properties for this polymer is in progress.