Reversible Photoreduction as a Trigger for Photoresponsive Gels



Draper, Emily R, Schweins, Ralf, Akhtar, Riaz ORCID: 0000-0002-7963-6874, Groves, Philip, Chechik, Victor, Zwijnenburg, Martijn A and Adams, Dave J
(2016) Reversible Photoreduction as a Trigger for Photoresponsive Gels. CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS, 28 (17). pp. 6336-6341.

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Abstract

We present here a new type of photoresponsive, reversible low molecular weight gel. All previous examples rely on a photoisomerisation, ring-closing or dimerization. We show that photoreduction of a perylene bisimide gelator results in the formation of a stable radical anion. The formation of the radical anion results in a change in the packing of the perylene bisimides in the self-assembled aggregates, leading to a change in fibrous network and an increase in the rheological properties of the gels. An increase in the rheological properties is extremely rare for a photoresponsive gel; normally, irradiation results in a gel-to-sol transition, and the gel falling apart. As the radical anion decays, which takes several hours in air, the original gel properties are restored. This photoreduction can be cycled many times. Finally, we show that the mechanical properties are different between irradiated and nonirradiated sections in a patterned gel.

Item Type: Article
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 19 Oct 2016 08:10
Last Modified: 19 Jan 2023 07:29
DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.6b02677
Related URLs:
URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3003841