Force-triggered hypso- and bathochromic bidirectional fluorescence switching beyond 120 nm and its anticounterfeiting applications

Achieving high-contrast tricolor emissive regulation of a single-component molecule using a single type of external stimulus is highly desirable but challenging. In the present study, we report a symmetric acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A)–type aggregation-induced emission-active luminogen, which displays a sequential high-contrast fluorescence switching just by anisotropic mechanical grinding. Specifically, upon light grinding, an orange–yellow-to-blue hypsochromic mechanofluorochromic response with a distinct color contrast (change in the maximum emission wavelength, Δλ em,max = 122 nm) is noticed, and the slightly ground solid exhibits a blue-to-red high-contrast (Δλ em,max = 185 nm) bathochromic…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 22361020, 22061018