title: A dual-modality photoswitchable supramolecular polymer.
abstract: Covalent or noncovalent linked polymers with stimuli-responsive properties have been well researched as a kind of advanced functional materials. However, little effort has been devoted to establishing a bridge for switching between covalent polymers and noncovalent polymers. Actually, such unitive system is promising because it can combine their chemical advantages of two types of polymers in a single and tunable platform. Herein, by taking advantage of reversible photodimerization of coumarins and host-guest assemblies with γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD), we demonstrate a simple and effective way to construct a dual-modality supramolecular polymer, which can be switched between a noncovalent polymer and its corresponding covalent polymer in response to light stimuli. Moreover, this unique switchable polymer can also be employed to construct a dual-stimuli responsive supramolecular hydrogel with the surfactant cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). This methodology establishes a bridge between the two "polymer mansions" and is promising to open a new class of photoswitchable materials.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Institute of Fine Chemicals, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qiwei
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Da-Hui
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Junchen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Qiaochun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tian
mesh_terms: D003374:Coumarins / Q000737:chemistry; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D047408:gamma-Cyclodextrins / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D003374:Coumarins; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011108:Polymers; D047408:gamma-Cyclodextrins; C023792:gamma-cyclodextrin