PHOTO-RESPONSIVE HYDROPHILIC COATING

1 . A coating comprising a polymer of formula I:

wherein X is —N═N— or —CH═CH—C(═O)—O-(alkylene)-O—C(═O)—CH═CH—;

each R is, independently, an alkylene, an arylene, or a bivalent imidazole; and

each Z is, independently, H, alkyl, heteroalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkoxy, nitro, cyano, halogen, or cycloalkyl.

2 . The coating of claim 1 , wherein X is —CH═CH—C(═O)—O—(CH 2 ) 2 —O—C(═O)—CH═CH—; each R is, independently, —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —, or —CH 2 —(NH—CH 2 ) 3 —; and each Z is, independently, H, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, nitro, or cyano.

3 . The coating of claim 1 , wherein X is —N═N—; each R is, independently, —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —, or —CH 2 —(NH—CH 2 ) 3 —; and each Z is, independently, H, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, nitro, or cyano.

4 . The coating of claim 1 , wherein X is —CH═CH—C(═O)—O—(CH 2 ) 2 —O—C(═O)—CH═CH—; each R is, independently, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 — or —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —; and each Z is, independently, H, alkyl, aryl, or alkoxy.

5 . The coating of claim 1 , wherein X is —N═N—; each R is, independently, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 — or —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —; and each Z is, independently, H, alkyl, aryl, or alkoxy.

6 . The coating of claim 1 , further comprising a solvent, a pigment, a rheology modifier, a plasticizer, or any combination thereof.

7 . The coating of claim 1 , further comprising a pigment comprising titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, tungsten oxide, or any combination thereof.

8 . The coating of claim 1 , wherein the coating is a latex emulsion, a non-aqueous dispersion, or a powder.

9 . The coating of claim 1 , wherein the coating is a decorative coating, an industrial coating, a protective coating, a self-cleaning coating, a biocidal coating, or any combination thereof.

10 . The coating of claim 1 , wherein the coating is configured to provide hydrophilic properties, self-cleaning properties, or both when exposed to UV or visible light.

11 . The coating of claim 10 , wherein the UV or visible light has a wavelength of about 300 nanometers to about 700 nanometers.

12 . The coating of claim 1 , wherein one or more monomeric subunits of the polymer are present in a cis configuration after exposure to UV or visible light.

13 .- 21 . (canceled)

22 . A method of modifying a hydrophobic surface to a hydrophilic surface, the method comprising:

applying a coating to the surface, wherein the coating comprises a polymer of formula (I)

wherein X is —N═N— or —CH═CH—C(═O)—O-(alkylene)-O—C(═O)—CH═CH—,

each R is, independently, an alkylene, an arylene, or a bivalent imidazole,

each Z is, independently, H, alkyl, heteroalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkoxy, nitro, cyano, halogen, or cycloalkyl, and

exposing the coated surface to UV or visible light.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein applying a coating comprises applying a coating comprising the polymer of formula I where X is —CH═CH—C(═O)—O—(CH 2 ) 2 —O—C(═O)—CH═CH—; each R is, independently, —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —, or —CH 2 —(NH—CH 2 ) 3 —; and each Z is, independently, H, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, nitro, or cyano.

24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein applying a coating comprises applying a coating comprising the polymer of formula I where X is —N═N—; each R is, independently, —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—(CH 2 ) 2 —, or —CH 2 —(NH—CH 2 ) 3 —; and each Z is, independently, H, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, nitro, or cyano.

25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein applying a coating comprise applying a coating further comprising a solvent, a pigment, a rheology modifier, a plasticizer, or any combination thereof.

26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein applying a coating comprise applying a coating further comprising a pigment comprising titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, tungsten oxide, or any combination thereof.

27 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the coating is a latex emulsion, a non-aqueous dispersion, or a powder.

28 . The method of claim 22 , wherein applying the coating to the surface comprises applying the coating by brushing, spraying, spreading, or rolling on the surface.

29 . The method of claim 22 , wherein exposing the coated surface to UV or visible light comprises exposing the coated surface to a wavelength of about 300 nanometers to about 700 nanometers.

30 . The method of claim 22 , wherein exposing the coated surface to UV or visible light comprises exposing for about 10 minutes to about 6 hours.

31 .- 37 . (canceled)

38 . A method of preparing a coating, the method comprising:

contacting coumaric acid or derivatives thereof with a diol to form a bis-coumarate compound;

contacting the bis-coumarate compound with epichlorohydrin to form a bis-epoxy compound;

curing the bis-epoxy compound to form a polymer; and

preparing the coating with the polymer.

39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the coumaric acid derivatives comprises alkyl coumarates comprising methyl coumarate, ethyl coumarate, propyl coumarate, butyl coumarate, or any combination thereof.

40 . The method of claim 38 , wherein contacting comprises contacting coumaric acid or derivatives thereof with a diol comprising ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propane-1,2-diol, propane-1,3-diol, butane-1,2-diol, butane-1,3-diol, butane-1,4-diol, 2-methylpropane-1,2-diol, 2-methylpropane-1,3-diol, pentane-1,2-diol, pentane-1,3-diol, pentane-1,4-diol, pentane-1,5-diol, pentane-2,3-diol, pentane-2,4-diol, 2-methyl-pentane-2,4-diol, hexane-1,2-diol, hexane-1,3-diol, hexane-1,4-diol, hexane-1,5-diol, hexane-1,6-diol, hexane-2,3-diol, hexane-2,4-diol, hexane-2,5-diol, hexane-3,4-diol, heptane-1,2-diol, heptane-1,3-diol, heptane-1,4-diol, heptane-1,5-diol, heptane-1,6-diol, heptane-1,7-diol, heptane-2,3-diol, heptane-2,4-diol, heptane-2,5-diol, heptane-2,6-diol, heptane-3,4-diol, heptane-3,5-diol, octane-1,2-diol, octane-1,3-diol, octane-1,4-diol, octane-1,5-diol, octane-1,6-diol, octane-1,7-diol, octane-1,8-diol, octane-2,3-diol, octane-2,4-diol, octane-2,5-diol, octane-2,6-diol, octane-2,7-diol, octane-3,4-diol, octane-3,5-diol, octane-3,6-diol, octane-4,5-diol, or any combination thereof.

41 . The method of claim 38 , wherein contacting the coumaric acid or derivatives thereof with the diol comprises contacting the coumaric acid or the derivatives thereof and the diol in a molar ratio of about 1:0.1 to about 1:1.

42 . The method of claim 38 , wherein contacting the coumaric acid or derivatives thereof with the diol comprises heating the coumaric acid or the derivatives thereof and the diol to a temperature of about 60° C. to 120° C. in the presence of a catalyst.

43 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the catalyst is p-toluene sulfonic acid.

44 .- 45 . (canceled)

46 . The method of claim 38 , wherein contacting the bis-coumarate compound with the epichlorohydrin comprises contacting the bis-coumarate compound and the epichlorohydrin in a molar ratio of about 1:0.5 to about 1:3.

47 . The method of claim 38 , wherein contacting the bis-coumarate compound with the epichlorohydrin comprises mixing the bis-coumarate compound, the epichlorohydrin and a basic catalyst at a temperature of about 0° C. to about 10° C. to form a mixture.

48 . The method of claim 47 , wherein the basic catalyst comprises triethylamine, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, tributylamine, morpholine, piperidine, or any combination thereof.

49 .- 50 . (canceled)

51 . The method of claim 38 , wherein curing the bis-epoxy compound comprises curing the bis-epoxy compound with an aliphatic amine, an aromatic amine, a polyamide, a secondary amine, a tertiary amine, an imidazole, a polymercaptan, a polysulfide, an anhydride, UV-curing agents, or any combination thereof.

52 .- 67 . (canceled)