Enhanced Bistability of a Photochromic Microparticle in Condensed Medium

A photochromic microparticle was synthesized and the bistability of this system in nonpolar viscous medium was investigated. Incorporation of the photochromic spiropyran (SP) dye into a cross-linked polystyrene resin enhanced the thermal (24-fold) and photochemical (4-fold) stabilities of an otherwise unstable open, colored merocyanine (MC) form.