UV-induced chromatism of polydiacetylenic assemblies.

Highly ordered lamellar polydiacetylene nanocomposites are synthesized by assembling polydiacetylene and azobenzene through a ready solution process. The trans-to-cis transition of azobenzene under UV light induces a conformational change of polydiacetylene with a color change from blue to red.

Electrochromatic carbon nanotube/polydiacetylene nanocomposite fibres.

Chromatic materials such as polydiacetylene change colour in response to a wide variety of environmental stimuli, including changes in temperature, pH and chemical or mechanical stress, and have been extensively explored as sensing devices. Here, we report the facile synthesis of carbon nanotube/polydiacetylene nanocomposite fibres that rapidly and reversibly respond to electrical current, with the resulting colour change being readily observable with the naked eye. These composite fibres also chromatically respond to a broad spectrum of other stimulations.

Stimuli-sensitive assemblies of homopolymers.

Two homopolymers assemble into nanoparitcles in a common solvent of water through ionic complexation. These nanoparticles reversibly and rapidly respond to both pH and temperature, and are particularly promising as intelligent systems.