title: An aggregation-induced-emission platform for direct visualization of interfacial dynamic self-assembly.
abstract: An in-depth understanding of dynamic interfacial self-assembly processes is essential for a wide range of topics in theoretical physics, materials design, and biomedical research. However, direct monitoring of such processes is hampered by the poor imaging contrast of a thin interfacial layer. We report in situ imaging technology capable of selectively highlighting self-assembly at the phase boundary in real time by employing the unique photophysical properties of aggregation-induced emission. Its application to the study of breath-figure formation, an immensely useful yet poorly understood phenomenon, provided a mechanistic model supported by direct visualization of all main steps and fully corroborated by simulation and theoretical analysis. This platform is expected to advance the understanding of the dynamic phase-transition phenomena, offer insights into interfacial biological processes, and guide development of novel self-assembly technologies.
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China).|Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington Seattle, WA (USA).
authors.forename: Junwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC 27106 (USA).
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Institute for Advanced Study, Institute of Molecular Functional Materials, and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China).
authors.forename: Carrie Y K
authors.initials: CYK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Institute for Advanced Study, Institute of Molecular Functional Materials, and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China).
authors.forename: Ryan T K
authors.initials: RTK
authors.lastname: Kwok
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China).
authors.forename: Hongkun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington Seattle, WA (USA).
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zrazhevskiy
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington Seattle, WA (USA).
authors.forename: Xiaohu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China).
authors.forename: Jing Zhi
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China).|State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 (China).
authors.forename: Anjun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China).|Department of Chemistry, Institute for Advanced Study, Institute of Molecular Functional Materials, and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China).|State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 (China).
authors.forename: Ben Zhong
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000032:analysis*; D061848:Optical Imaging; D044367:Phase Transition; D013267:Stilbenes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D013267:Stilbenes
keywords: aggregation-induced emission; breath figures; fluorescence; interfaces; tetraphenylethene