Blue-Shifting Mechanofluorochromic Luminescent Behavior of Polymer Composite Films Using Gelable Mechanoresponsive Compound

Abstract

Mechanochromic luminescent dyes change their luminescence color upon exposure to external mechanical stimuli. In this study, we synthesized a liquid crystalline mechanochromic luminescent dye containing a terminal cholesterol molecule. The dissolution of the dye in 1,4-dioxane resulted in the formation of a gel. The luminescence of the xerogel obtained from the dioxane solution changed from green to blue upon grinding, indicating mechanochromic luminescence behavior. The anisotropic patterning of short-wavelength-shifted luminescence color change by directional handwriting on surface layer of liquid crystal was successfully demonstrated. Furthermore, blue-shifting mechanoresponsive polymer composite surface was fabricated by using the luminophore.