AIEgen-Enabled Multicolor Visualization for the Formation of Supramolecular Polymer Networks
Shaoyu Xu,
Hanwei Zhang,
Qingyun Li,
Hui Liu,
Xiaofan Ji
Affiliations
Shaoyu Xu
Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Hanwei Zhang
Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Qingyun Li
Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Hui Liu
Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Xiaofan Ji
Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage, Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry and Service Failure, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials and Medical Protective Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Extensive reports on the use of supramolecular polymer networks (SPNs) in self-healing materials, controlled release system and degradable products have led more researchers to tap their potential owing to the unique properties. Yet, the attendant efforts in the visualization through conventional luminescence methods during the formation of SPNs have been met with limited success. Herein, we designed a special type of SPNs prepared by PPMU polymer chains containing pyrene benzohydrazonate (PBHZ) molecules as AIEgens for the multicolor visualization with naked eyes. The complete detection of the formation process of the networks relied on the PBHZ molecules with aggregation-induced ratiometric emission (AIRE) effect, which enabled the fluorescence of the polymer networks transits from blue to cyan, and then to green with the increasing crosslinking degree derived from the hydrogen bonds between 2-ureido-4-pyrimidone (UPy) units of the polymer chains. Additionally, we certificated the stimuli-responsiveness of the obtained SPNs, and the fluorescence change, as well as observing the morphology transition. The AIEgen-enabled multicolor visualization of the formation of SPNs may provide better understanding of the details of the crosslinking interactions in the microstructural evolution, giving more inspiration for the multifunctional products based on SPNs.
