“Co‐Stabilization, Fine‐Tuning” Strategy for Highly Stable Coloring of Stimuli‐Responsive Materials and their Hydrochromic Applications

Abstract

It is of great significance, but extremely challenging, to endow stimulus‐response materials with both excellent dynamic responsiveness and high coloring stability. Herein, a strategy of “co‐stabilization, fine‐tuning” is proposed to address this conundrum by manipulating multiple dynamically competing supramolecular interactions and conformational fine‐tuning linked coloring. With this idea, a new supramolecular hydrochromic system is constructed and the as‐prepared dye‐based hydrochromic materials (DHMs) have a highly stable water‐induced coloration in a wide pH range, abnormally high temperature, and high salt concentration. Meanwhile, it possesses the best comprehensive performance of hydrochromism (i.e., high optical contrast, multicolor, excellent repeatability). These new DHMs can not only meet the general needs, but also have some unique applications in helping humans adapt to “harsh environments”. The verified “co‐stabilization, fine‐tuning” strategy promises to bring unlimited ideas and implications for functional materials to cope with abnormal environments.