Architecture transition of supramolecular polymers through hierarchical self-assembly: from supramolecular polymers to fluorescent materials

In this work, three different monomers AB2, C2, and TP4 were synthesized. AB2 + C2 could self-assemble to form a supramolecular hyperbranched polymer (SHP1) based on crown ether-based host–guest interaction. Upon adding TP4 into the solution of SHP1, SHP1 transformed into a higher molecular weight supramolecular cross-linked polymer (SCP1), accompanied by a dramatic fluorescence emission enhancement due to the aggregation of the tetraphenyl ethylene core induced by supramolecular polymerization. A supramolecular gel with blue fluorescence emission was generated when the concentration of SCP1 exceeded 64 mM. Adding/removing K+ or heating/cooling the gel could realize reversible gel–sol transition, accompanied by the decrease or enhancement of the fluorescence emission intensity. Moreover, the supramolecular gel with AIE properties showed excellent self-repairing capability.