Photochemical reactions in nanoscopic organic domains generated from oriented crystalswith polymers: Nanocrystalline mosaics as a new familyof host materials

Oriented architectures are formed on nanocrystalswith incorporation of organicpolymers through a biomimetic route. The composites of potassium sulfate and potassium hydrogen phthalate/poly(acrylicacid) exhibit a mosaic structure consisting of organicpolymers and ca. 20 nm nanocrystals. These nanocrystalline mosaics have organic domains originating from organicpolymers in nanoscopic scale and serve as a host materialfor the incorporation and photochemical reaction of organicmolecules. Photoisomerization of azobenzene and photodimerization of coumarin are successfully demonstrated in the composite materials, indicating that the nanocrystalline mosaic has potential as a new familyof host material.