A Novel Mechanical Property Self‐Characterizing Hydrogel Fabricated with Aggregation Induced Fluorescence Emission Molecule

Abstract

A water soluble diacrylate decorated aggregation induced emission (AIE) fluorophore (tetraphenyl ethylene decorated with diacrylate, TPE‐D) has been synthesized via straight forward synthetical route. The compound displayed promising liquid viscosity sensing capability. Upon increasing the liquid viscosity, the fluorescence emission intensity was observed to enhance. By polymerization with diacrylate‐PEG, a novel mechanical parameter self‐characterizing fluorescent hydrogel has been constructed. Taking advantages of AIE nature of TPE‐D, the viscosity, elastic modulus and viscous modulus, in addition to the liquid viscosity, of the as‐constructed hydrogel can be reflected by fluorescent intensity. We wish this novel hydrogel can be further applied as 3D cell culture to disclose the mechanical influence on disease related cellular behavior.