Thermochromic Materials: Versatile Thermochromic Supramolecular Materials Based on Competing Charge Transfer Interactions (Adv. Funct. Mater. 47/2016)

Abstract

On page 8604, M. A. Olson, L. Fang, and co‐workers demonstrate water‐processible thermochromic supramolecular helical fibers composed of a bis‐bipyridinium acceptor, a p‐electron rich naphthalene derivative donor, and halogen counterions. Inked designs, thin films, and aerogels fabricated from these composites exhibit reversible thermochromic behavior. The thermochromism results from competing π → π* and n → π* charge transfer interactions which are mediated by coordinating water molecules.