A Simply Synthesized Shaking‐induced Small Molecule System with Repeatable and Instantaneous Discoloration Response

Abstract

AbstractForce‐related discoloration materials are highly valuable because of their characteristics of visualization, easy operation, and environment friendliness. Most force‐related discoloration materials focus on polymers and depend on bond scission, which leads to insensitivity and unrecoverable. Small‐molecule systems based on well‐defined molecular structures and simple composition with high sensitivity would exhibit considerable mechanochromic potential. However, to date, researches about force‐related discoloration materials based on small molecule solution remain limited and are rarely reported. In this study, we developed a repeatable and instantaneous discoloration small molecule solution system by simple one‐pot synthesis method. It exhibited an instantaneous chromic change from yellowish to dark green under shaking and reverting back to yellow within 1 minute after removal of the shaking. Experimental results confirmed that the discoloration mechanism is attributed to the oscillation accelerating the production of unstable ortho‐OH phenoxyl radical. The newly developed shaking‐induced discoloration small molecule system (SDSMS) promises in field of mechanical force sensing and optical encryption.