applications

Caption: Above, azobenzene is a molecule that can change its shape with light. An azobenzene molecule switches between two forms under the influence of light. In the lower figure: a molecular cage containing the molecules of the photosensitizer azobenzene. The new mechanism is based on a supramolecular approach in which the molecules of azobenzene and the photosensitizer are locked together in a molecular cage. The limited space accessible to the caged molecules allows only the E-form, but not the Z-form of azobenzene, so this molecule is pushed out of the cage. Credit: Jonathan R. Church

Publication in Science magazine about a new discovery: using harmless light to change the shape of an azobenzene molecule within a supramolecular complex

Azobenzenes are versatile compounds with many potential uses, such as advancing technology through the production of tiny machines, as well as creating light-activated drugs. These molecules can be found in two different forms called
Nanoparticles that respond to a change in acidity have the potential to be used in applications based on exposure to light, for example, erasable and rewriteable paper. Photo: Weizmann Institute

Organize in the dark, disperse in the light