A Color-Tunable Fluorescent Supramolecular Hyperbranched Polymer Constructed by Pillar[5]arene-Based Host-Guest Recognition and Metal Ion Coordination Interaction

Abstract

Fluorescent supramolecular polymers are an important kind of smart material. In this work, a new fluorescent supramolecular hyperbranched polymer (FSHP) is constructed by orthogonal self-assembly: pillararene-based host-guest interaction and metal ion complexation interaction. The FSHP exhibits concentration-controllable fluorescence emissions. The photoluminescence spectra and light-emitting colors of FSHP can be effectively tuned by changing metal ion types or using mixed metal ions. The fluorescence quenching of FSHP solutions or FSHP-based films would occur when removing the metal ions from the backbone of FSHP. This study supplies a convenient approach toward the construction of structure-tunable fluorescent supramolecular materials with different colors.

Keywords: fluorescent supramolecular hyperbranched polymers; host-guest interactions; metal coordination.