title: CO2 -Breathing Induced Reversible Activation of Mechanophore within Microgels.
abstract: In this work, CO2 -breathing induced reversible activation of mechanophore within microgels is reported. The microgels are prepared through soap-free emulsion polymerization of CO2 -switchable monomer 2-(diethylamino)ethyl-methacrylate, using spiropyran (SP) based mechanophore MA-SP-MA as cross-linker. The microgels can be swollen by CO2 aeration. The swelling of microgels activates the SP mechanophore into merocyanine, causing distinguished color and fluorescence change. Moreover, these transitions are highly reversible, and the initial states of microgels can be easily recovered by "washing off" CO2 with N2 . The present contribution represents the first example of CO2 -breathing activation of mechanophore within microgels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L7, Canada.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L7, Canada.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L7, Canada.
authors.forename: Shiping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D001578:Benzopyrans / Q000737:chemistry*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D007211:Indoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009574:Nitro Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D009757:Nylons / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001578:Benzopyrans; D005782:Gels; D007211:Indoles; D008689:Methacrylates; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D009757:Nylons; C109846:poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate); C088184:spiropyran; D002245:Carbon Dioxide
keywords: CO2-breathing; mechanophores; microgels; spiropyran cross-linkers