Jiang Zhi-Chao, Xiao Yao-Yu, Hou Jun-Bo, Chen Xin-Shi, Yang Ni, Zeng Hongbo, Zhao Yue
Departement de Chimie, Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1K 2R1, Canada.
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2022 Nov 2;61(44):e202211959. doi: 10.1002/anie.202211959. Epub 2022 Oct 5.
Covalent adaptable liquid crystal networks (CALCNs) are highly potential actuating materials due to their actuation properties and shape reprogrammability. Given the importance of network crosslinking state in a CALCN actuator, we sought an all-in-one strategy to probe and visualize its dynamic network while ensuring actuation and reprogramming. Here, tetraphenylethylene derivatives were incorporated into liquid crystal networks via the Diels-Alder (DA) reaction, acting simultaneously as reversible crosslinkers and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorescent probes. The thermally tunable fluorescence of the resulting network can correlate to and thus visualize the actuator's crosslinking status, actuation capability and temperature in real-time and in situ, yielding an intriguing actuation limit-alerting function. Furthermore, we verified unprecedented reprogrammability of the AIE-type CALCNs through both associative and dissociative exchange mechanisms of DA chemistry.
共价适应性液晶网络（CALCNs）因其驱动特性和形状可重新编程性而成为极具潜力的驱动材料。鉴于网络交联状态在CALCN致动器中的重要性，我们寻求一种一体化策略来探测和可视化其动态网络，同时确保驱动和重新编程。在此，通过狄尔斯-阿尔德（DA）反应将四苯基乙烯衍生物引入液晶网络，其同时作为可逆交联剂和聚集诱导发光（AIE）荧光探针。所得网络的热可调荧光可以关联并因此实时、原位地可视化致动器的交联状态、驱动能力和温度，产生一种有趣的驱动极限警报功能。此外，我们通过DA化学的缔合和解离交换机制验证了AIE型CALCNs前所未有的可重新编程性。
