On January 14, the research group led by Prof. Xie Xiaolin published a paper entitled "Crosstalk‐Free Patterning of Cooperative‐Thermoresponse Images by the Synergy of the AIEgen with the Liquid Crystal"on Angewandte Chemie International Edition. Huazhong University of Science and Technology is the signature unit of the first author. Doctoral student Zhao Ye and Prof. Peng Haiyan from the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering are the corresponding authors of the paper. Prof. Xie Xiaolin, Prof. Li Zhongan, Zhao Xiaoyu and Prof. Li Mingde from Shantou University are the co-authors.

Patterning multiple images within a single element without crosstalk can significantly increase the information capacity and security, but it is challenging to enable the response capability in each image. Now, the patterning of crosstalk-free yet cooperative-thermoresponse images (holographic and fluorescent images) is successfully achieved by designing a liquid crystal (LC)/AIEgen system with a unique synergy. The AIEgen's fluorescence intensity is controlled by the LC, while the LC's phase transition is in turn promoted by the AIEgen. The fluorescent image contrast is significantly boosted by efficient energy transfer (ΦET: 96%) from the LC to the AIEgen. The AIEgen's photocyclization for fluorescent patterning occurs in a zero-order kinetic manner and can be completed within several minutes when assisted by the LC. The photocyclization conversion is quantitatively dependent on the aggregation size: α∼exp(-d), and able to reach as high as 98%.

This work is sponsored by NSFC (51433002 and 51773073), the HUST peak boarding program and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2019kfyRCPY089).

Link of the paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/anie.201915053