A dual pH-responsive supramolecular gelator with aggregation-induced emission properties

Abstract

Functionalising AIE-active aromatic thioethers with self-complementary zwitterionic binding sites leads to a dual pH-responsive supramolecular organogelator with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties. The self-assembled fibrillar gel network is highly fluorescent (λ_em = 490 nm), whereas the addition of both acid and base leads to the sol state with a loss of emission. More over, the gel was found to be thermo- and mechanoresponsive.