Preparation of diarylethene substituted polymer films for optical recording

Effect of photo-irradiation on the color change of diarylethene polymer films was investigated. Diarylethene polymer films were prepared from photopolymerization of a radical curable mixture of diarylethene compound and a fluoroalkylacrylate containing a photo initiator. 1-[6′-(Methacryloxyethyloxycarbonyl)-2′-methylbenzo[b]thiophene-3 ′-yl]-2-(2″-methylbenzo[b]thiophene-3″-yl)hexafluorocyclopente ne (MMBTF6) was synthesized from 2,3-bis(2-methylbenzo[b]thiophene-3-yl)hexafluorocyclopentene (BTF6) in three steps. 2,2,3,3-Tetrafluoro-1,4-butyldiacrylate (TFBDA) was synthesized from the corresponding diol and acryloyl chloride in the presence of a base. The photocurable mixture was coated on a substrate and subjected to antinic irradiation, to afforded homogeneous transparent film. A mask image was recovered on the film by a light of 365 nm and read by a visible light (λ, > 700 nm) without destruction of the image. To erase the recorded image, a white light or a visible light was irradiated. Photochromic quantum yield and photo-induced refractive index change of the diarylethene bound polymer film were determined as 0.12 and 0.0006 respectively.