Naphthalimide‐Based Aggregation‐Induced Emissive Polymeric Hydrogels for Fluorescent Pattern Switch and Biomimetic Actuators

• Published in: Macromolecular rapid communications. Vol. 41; no. 13; pp. e2000123 - n/a
• Main Authors: Liu, Hao, Wei, Shuxin, Qiu, Huiyu, Zhan, Beibei, Liu, Qingquan, Lu, Wei, Zhang, Jiawei, Ngai, To, Chen, Tao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2020
• Subjects: Actuators; Agglomeration; aggregation‐induced emission; Biomimetics; Conformation; Design modifications; Emission; Emissions; Fabrication; Fluorescence; fluorescent hydrogels; Hydrogels; Interpenetrating networks; Isopropylacrylamide; Molecular conformation; Monomers; Nanoparticles; naphthalimide; Optical properties; Phase transitions; Polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate; Polymers; aggregation-induced emission; fluorescent hydrogels; actuators; naphthalimide
• ISSN: 1022-1336; 1521-3927; 1521-3927
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.202000123

Substituted naphthalimide (NI) moieties are highly versatile and newly recognized aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) building blocks for many potentially useful smart molecules, polymers, and nanoparticles. However, the introduction of NI fluorophore into cross‐linked polymeric networks to prepare AIE‐active hydrogels still remains underdeveloped. Herein, a novel naphthalimide‐based aggregation‐induced emissive polymeric hydrogel is reported, followed by its proof‐of‐concept applications as fluorescence pattern switch and biomimetic actuator. The hydrogel, bearing semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks, is synthesized starting from N‐isopropylacrylamide, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and a newly designed NI monomer (4‐phenoxy‐N‐allyl‐1,8‐naphthalimide, PhAN). Rational molecular design for AIE‐active PhAN monomer lies in modification of the NI core with rigid and bulky phenoxy group to break its planarity to produce desirable propeller‐shaped molecular conformation. The as‐prepared hydrogel is proved to be a aggregation‐induced blue‐light‐emitting hydrogel. It also shows volume phase transition behavior and is endowed with thermally responsive synergistic emission and transmittance change, thus enabling simultaneous regulation of two optical properties merely by one single stimulus. These useful advantages further encourage fabrication of several proto‐type fluorescence pattern switching and biomimetic actuating devices. This study may not only enlarge the list of fluorescent hydrogels but also serve as a novel smart optical platform for potential anticounterfeiting, sensing, displaying, or actuating applications. A robust aggregation‐induced emissive polymeric hydrogel is synthesized from the copolymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide and a specially designed 4‐phenoxy‐N‐allyl‐1,8‐naphthalimide monomer, in which naphthalimide molecule is modified with a bulky phenoxy group to break its planarity to produce propeller‐shaped molecular conformation. The hydrogel is characterized with thermally controlled emission and transmittance response, suggesting their potential applications for fluorescence pattern switch and biomimetic actuators .