Switchable Supramolecular Configurations of Al<sup>3+</sup>/LysTPY Coordination Polymers in a Hydrogel Network Controlled by Ultrasound and Heat
Jiangbo Guo, Yajuan Li, Yajun Zhang, Jujie Ren, Xudong Yu, Xinhua Cao
Abstract
Coordination-driven self-assembly with controllable properties has attracted increasing interest because of its potential in biological events and material science. Herein, we report on the remote, instant, and switchable control of competitive coordination interactions via ultrasound and heat stimuli in a hydrogel network. Configurational coordination changes result in the transformation of blue-emissive and opaque Al3+–amide aggregations to yellow–green-emissive and transparent Al3+–terpyridine aggregations. Interestingly, circularly polarized luminescence “off–on” switches of the metallo-supramolecular assembly are also created by these configuration changes. Additionally, the impact of the stoichiometric ratio of Al3+ and LysTPY on the assembly is also studied in detail. With a higher content of Al3+, the hydrogel with branched and abundant junctions exhibited robust, self-healing, and self-supporting properties. This in-depth understanding of the coordination interaction adjustment will afford new insights into the preparation of stimuli-responsive metallogels.