Formation and Photoresponsive Properties of Giant Microvesicles Assembled from Azobenzene‐Containing Amphiphilic Diblock Copolymers

Diblock copolymers composed of poly(acrylic acid) and poly{6‐[4‐(4‐methylphenylazo)phenoxy]hexyl acrylate} (PAA‐block‐PAzoM) were synthesized by RAFT polymerization. In a mixture of H2O and THF, PAA‐block‐PAzoM self‐assembled into giant spherical microvesicles, which were dispersed in the mixture. Using UV‐vis spectroscopy and optical microscopy, it is demonstrated that the spherical shape of the vesicles results from a framework composed of the azobenzene H‐aggregate skeleton. A plausible structural model of the microvesicles is proposed, and a discussion on the formation of H‐aggregates and the photoresponsive properties is presented. magnified image