High performance mechanochromic luminescent materials from AIEgens

Abstract

Mechanochromic luminescent (MCL) materials, capable of changing their photophysical properties in response to mechanical stimuli, have formed an integral part of functional materials over the last 20 years. Those with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) are more reliable and practical, as they are endowed with high-contrast ratio and thus offer the potential to enable various high-tech applications, including pressure sensor, optical storage, and deformation detection. In this chapter, we introduce the concept of MCL and focus on two types of AIE-active MCL systems, i.e., high color contrast and high efficiency contrast. The potential benefits and challenges of the presented examples were discussed. Based on limited numbers of examples that reported the crystallographic structure or quantum chemistry calculation, we highlighted how mechanistic knowledge has advanced the material design and performance optimization in both types.