Liquid crystals are 2D patterned with nonpolarized light by a new dye-free photoalignment method.

Tunable photonic crystals exhibiting optical properties that respond reversibly to external stimuli have been developed using liquid crystal networks (LCNs) and liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs).

Controlled and uniform molecular alignment can provide and enhance functionality in polymer films. We first report that masked photopolymerization with non-polarized light enables direct and precise control of molecular alignment without using a conventional molecular alignment layer. The photopolymerization of a mixture composed of an optically anisotropic acrylate monomer and an isotropic dimethacrylate crosslinker induces either unidirectional or complex molecular alignment, depending upon the shape of the photomask. Such molecular alignments are successfully achieved by shear stress arising from molecular diffusion, even when the photopolymerization is carried out at isotropic temperatures of both the monomer mixture and the obtained polymers.

Dismantlable adhesion systems are becoming increasingly important in industrial applications, as they facilitate the recycling of a range of materials. Many dismantlable adhesives have been developed in response to this demand; however, their dismantling mechanisms are limited to those that utilize changes in bulk state. Herein, a novel dismantling adhesion system that enables the adhesion strength to be reduced based on covalent bond change is proposed. This is achieved by using a thermo‐ and photocleavable molecular layer comprising an anthracene photodimer. The molecular layer applied at the adhesion interface exhibits an adhesion strength twice that of the uncoated substrate, based on the formation of covalent bonds between the substrates and adhesives. Heating the adhered specimen for 1 min successfully reduces the peel strength by 60% and induces dismantling at the molecular layer. Furthermore, it is possible to dismantle adhesive joint through a low‐energy photocleavage process with light irradiation. This process requires under 10% of the energy of other light‐triggered dismantlable adhesives. The proposed system provides new insights for the development of dismantlable adhesion technology, leveraging the adhesion mechanism at the interface.

Control over the orientation of metal nanorods is important for both fundamental and applied research. We show that gold nanorods (GNRs) can be aligned in a single direction by adsorbing positively charged GNRs onto a double-strand DNA-grafted substrate through electrostatic interaction. The ordered structure can be optimized by controlling the density of the positive charges on the surface of the GNRs. We found, in agreement with the results of theoretical simulation, that the resultant structure exhibits plasmonic properties that are dependent on the GNR orientation relative to the direction of an oscillating electric field. Our approach provides new insights into the polymer-assisted self-assembly of rod-shaped nanoparticles utilizing electrostatic interactions.