Light sensitive achiral polar polymeric composites

► Light sensitive polar composites combine antiferroelectricity and E-Z isomerization. ► Pyro- and para-electric behaviors relate to the SmA phase, and absence of hydrogen bridges. ► Antiferroelectric behavior agrees well with the presence of a tilted smectic C phase. ► The E-Z photoisomerization, does not exceed the amount of monomers without OH group.