Photocontrolled Molecular Recognition for Materials Applications

我的研究项目是基于开发新的方法，使分子能够在溶液和固态中可逆地相互作用（或相互识别）。该提案描述了新分子的发展，当使用特定颜色（波长）的可见光照射它们时，它们会改变形状。用一种颜色的光照射会使分子形成一种相互作用强烈的形式。当附着在连接框架上时，这些相互作用产生的材料具有典型的塑料或橡胶物体/薄膜的特性。用不同颜色的光照射物质会改变分子的形式，使它们不再相互识别，也不会强烈地相互作用。这导致材料要么非常脆，要么更像流体，这取决于最初用来连接分子的框架类型。这种效果是可逆的，只要在多次循环中改变光的颜色，材料就可以在两种状态之间反复切换。这可以进一步设计来产生有趣的行为，比如：塑料在特定颜色的光照射下可以自我修复损伤，物体或薄膜可以在特定颜色的光照射下拉伸并保持拉伸形状，然后通过不同颜色的光照射恢复到原始形状，只有在特定颜色的光照射下表面才能粘在一起的薄膜。**

My research program is based on developing new ways to that molecules can interact reversibly with (or recognize) each other in solution and the solid state. The proposal describes the development of new molecules that change their form when specific colours (wavelengths) of visible light are used to irradiate them. The irradiation with one colour of light makes the molecules take a form where they interact strongly with each other. When attached to a connecting framework, these interactions result in a material that has the properties of a typical plastic or rubbery object/film. The irradiation of the substance with a different colour of light changes the form of the molecules so that they no longer recognize each other and do not interact strongly together. This results in a material that is either very brittle or more like a fluid depending on what type of framework was used to connect the molecules in the first place. The effect is reversible with a change in the colours of light used over many cycles and the materials can be switched back and forth over and over again between the two states. This can be further engineered to generate interesting behaviours like: plastics that heal damage to themselves upon irradiation with certain colours of light, objects or films that can be stretched and hold their stretched shape when irradiated with a particular colour of light then returned to the original shape by irradiating with a different colour, films with surfaces that stick together only when irradiated with a certain colour of light. **