A Mechanochromic and Photochromic Dual-Responsive Co-assembly with Multicolored Switch: A Peptide-Based Dendron Strategy

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b10933
• Publication Date: 2018-09-13T19:27:41Z
• Authors: Lili Huang; Chenyang Wu; Linghao Zhang; Zhiyong Ma; Xinru Jia
• Keywords: Spiropyran; Molecular switch

In this contribution, we report a unique co-assembly composed of pyrene and spiropyran that were linked separately at the focal point same peptide-based dendron (Phe-Glu), in which dendrons offer driving forces for coaggregation. A series co-assemblies with different weight ratios (Py-Phe-Glu/SP-Phe-Glu) prepared morphology could be tuned. It is found resulting stable co-assembled organogel double switchable triggered by light heat. TEM revealed that, xerogel, Py-Phe-Glu formed rigid rod nanofibers large diameters acted as sketelon where gracile interwoven fibrous structure SP-Phe-Glu grew. More interestingly, original powder xerogel (1.0 mg/0.1 mg) not only displayed sequential high-contrast tricolored switch from dark blue to bright cyan red under external force but also presented multistate accessible photochromic properties. Such mechanochromic behaviors are mainly due transition excimers force/photoinduced ring-opening reaction spiropyran. rarely reported self-assembled soft materials achieve dual-responsive multicolored switch. We believe strategy based on polypeptide can extended other systems establishing novel intelligent fluorescent materials.