A new photosensitive and electroactive polyamide containing azobenzene in the side chain and triphenylamine unit in the main chain was prepared by reaction of 5-((4-(dimethylamino)phenyl)diazenyl)isophthalic acid (1) and 4-N-(4- aminophenyl)-4-N-phenyl benzene-1,4-diamine (2). A novel ternary (Mg–Zn–Al–) layered double hydroxide modified with calcon indicator (LDH-calcon) was prepared by a co-precipitation method. The solution intercalation technique was used to prepare nanocomposites from the polyamide and LDH-calcon in a solution of N,N-dimethylformamide. The LDH-calcon in polyamide 3 and 6 wt% was prepared. The photoisomerization of samples was monitored by 1H-NMR and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The absorption maxima (λmax) peak of 316 nm due to π–π* transition of trans-azobenzene chromophores modified to 254 nm UV irradiation. Cyclic voltammograms of the polyamide films on glassy carbon illustrated reversible redox around 0.6–0.86 V were enhanced by the addition of LDH-calcon. The thermal analysis exhibited enhanced T5 and T10 of polyamide with 3% LDH-calcon by about 76 °C and 174 °C, respectively, for nanocomposite containing 3 mass% of LDH-calcon and by about 26 °C and 15 °C for 6 mass%, respectively. Moreover, the char residues of nanocomposite increase as compared to neat polyamide.
