Photocontrolled Molecular Recognition for Materials Applications

我的研究计划是基于开发新的方法，使分子可以在溶液和固态中可逆地相互作用(或识别)。该提案描述了当特定颜色(波长)的可见光被照射时，可以改变其形状的新分子的开发。用一种颜色的光照射，使分子形成一种相互作用强烈的形式。当连接到框架上时，这些相互作用导致材料具有典型塑料或橡胶物体/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。这导致了一种材料要么非常脆，要么更像流体，这取决于最初连接分子的框架类型。这种效应是可逆的，在许多周期中使用的光的颜色发生变化，材料可以在两种状态之间来回切换。这可以被进一步设计来产生有趣的行为，比如：在特定颜色的光照射下，可以治愈自身损害的塑料，可以拉伸并在特定颜色的光照射下保持拉伸形状的物体或薄膜，然后通过不同的颜色照射恢复到原始形状，只有在特定颜色的光照射下，表面才能粘合在一起的薄膜。

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.