Light-Induced Water Splitting Causes High-Amplitude Oscillation of pH-Sensitive Layer-by-Layer Assemblies on TiO2

Sviatlana A Ulasevich; Gerald Brezesinski; Helmuth Möhwald; Peter Fratzl; Felix H Schacher; Sergey K Poznyak; Daria V Andreeva; Ekaterina V Skorb

doi:10.1002/anie.201604359

Light-Induced Water Splitting Causes High-Amplitude Oscillation of pH-Sensitive Layer-by-Layer Assemblies on TiO₂

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2016 Oct 10;55(42):13001-13004. doi: 10.1002/anie.201604359.

Authors

Sviatlana A Ulasevich¹, Gerald Brezesinski¹, Helmuth Möhwald¹, Peter Fratzl¹, Felix H Schacher², Sergey K Poznyak³, Daria V Andreeva⁴, Ekaterina V Skorb⁵

Affiliations

¹ Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14424, Potsdam, Germany.
² Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Institut für Organische Chemie und Makromolekulare Chemie, Humboldtstrasse 10, Germany), Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany.
³ The Research Institute for Physical Chemical Problems, Belarusian State University, 220030, Minsk, Belarus.
⁴ Center for Soft and Living Matter, Institute of basic science, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, 44919, Ulsan, Republic of Korea.
⁵ Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14424, Potsdam, Germany. skorb@mpikg.mpg.de.

PMID: 27439779
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201604359

Abstract

We introduce a simple concept of a light induced pH change, followed by high amplitude manipulation of the mechanical properties of an adjacent polymer film. Irradiation of a titania surface is known to cause water splitting, and this can be used to reduce the environmental pH to pH 4. The mechanical modulus of an adjacent pH sensitive polymer film can thus be changed by more than an order of magnitude. The changes can be localized, maintained for hours and repeated without material destruction.

Keywords: TiO2; layer-by-layer assembly; polyelectrolytes; stimuli-responsive materials; water splitting.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't