Control of supramolecular chirality for polydiacetylene LB films with the command azobenzene derivative monolayer

This article presents a strategy for controlling supramolecular chirality for polydiacetylene LB films with the command azobenzene derivative monolayer. An achiral amphiphilic azobenzene derivative monolayer was irradiated with circularly polarized light (CPL) to form helical packing, which allowed for its acting as a chiral template, tuning supramolecular packing states of consequently deposited diacetylene LB films overlayer, further controlling the chirality formation of polydiacetylene LB films under normal UV irradiation. In addition, the helical direction of the polydiacetylene LB films was in accordance with that of the azobenzene monolayer. Remarkable chirality amplification and good thermo-stability could be observed for the above polydiacetylene/azobenzene hybrid films in comparison with pure polydiacetylene LB films.