Construction of Photoresponsive 3D Structures Based on Triphenylethylene Photochromic Building Blocks

Abstract

Photoresponsive materials have been widely used in sensing, bioimaging, molecular switches, information storage, and encryption nowadays. Although a large amount of photoresponsive materials have been reported, the construction of these smart materials into precisely prescribed complex 3D geometries is rarely studied. Here we designed a novel photoresponsive material methyl methacrylate containing triphenylethylene (TrPEF2-MA) that can be directly used for digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing. Based on TrPEF2-MA, a series of photoresponsive 3D structures with reversible color switching under ultraviolet/visible light irradiations were fabricated. These complex photoresponsive 3D structures show high resolutions (50 μm), excellent repeatability (25 cycles without fatigue), and tunable saturate color degrees. Multicomponent DLP 3D printing processes were also carried out to demonstrate their great properties in information hiding and information-carrying properties. This design strategy for constructing photoresponsive 3D structures is attractive in the area of adaptive camouflage, information hiding, information storage, and flexible electronics.

3D printing of photochromic and thermochromic shape memory polymers for multi-functional applications

“…The investigation of structural deformation and color change in 3D printed parts is an exciting area of research that has the potential to revolutionize the way we design and create objects with hidden information.In fact, UTP-SMP can change their shape in response to heating. They can return to their original shape even after being deformed or bent, which can be applied to anti-counterfeiting through structure design [25].…”

“…The application of a novel photoresponsive material, methyl methacrylate-triphenylethylene (TrPEF2-MA), has demonstrated significant progress in the field. This material has been successfully employed to fabricate intricate 3D structures with photoresponsive capabilities, showcasing reversible color switching triggered by ultraviolet/visible light irradiation [25]. In addition, the exhibit features a technology to create reprogrammable multi-color textures using photochromic dyes in a single material.…”

Photochromic porous organic crystals constructed by the self-assembly of triarylethylene derivatives

“…Triphenylethylenes, which can be easily modified and functionalised, have recently been reported as a new photochromic system with remarkable photoresponsive properties and rich applications. 24 It is anticipated that, with a rational molecular design to regulate the intermolecular arrangement, a porous assembly can be constructed from triarylethylene derivatives by introducing polar groups as linkers and rigid phenylene groups as spacers to form voids, so as to obtain porous crystals with light responsiveness. Herein, this design strategy has been realized by substituting a triphenylethylene core with fluoro groups and an isophthalic acid unit to obtain a new photochromic compound, TrPEF 2 -IPA .…”

Manipulating the transition of aggregated states to control the photochromism in a new triphenylethylene derivative

“…From then on, Yu's group has successively explored the diverse properties of triarylethylene derivatives, including morphology-dependent photochromism, 39 real-time photo-controlled surface, 40 oxidation gated photochromism, 41 and photochromic-photoluminescent dual-mode response. 42 Very recently, Yu and coworkers 43 have prepared a new photoresponsive material, a methylmethacrylate-containing triphenylethylene (TrPEF 2 -MA), that can be directly used for digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing. TrPEF 2 -MA-printed 3D structures have excellent photochromic properties such as high resolution (50 mm), fast photo-response, and good reversibility.…”