Second-Order Polarizability and Temporal Stability of Epoxy Polymers Doped with Chromophore and with Chromophore Moieties in the Main Chain

Second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties and temporary stability of epoxy polymers based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) both doped with p-nitroaniline (p-NA) and functionalized linear polymer DGEBA with p-NA moieties (attached to the bearing main chain) in the main chain (DGEBA-p-NA) have been investigated. Second-order polarizabilities of both p-NA and functionalized linear polymer DGEBA-p-NA were determined by a solvatochromic method. It was shown that this method could be successfully applied to determine the molecular second-order polarizabilities of both low-molecular mass chromophores and polymers with chromophore moieties attached to the chains. The relaxation behaviour of the doped and functionalized poled epoxy polymers has been studied. The crosslinked functionalized polymer DGEBA-p-NA exhibits the highest second-order NLO properties and temporal stability.