Moore and More ›› 2025, Vol. 1 ›› Issue (3): 241-266.DOI: 10.1007/s44275-024-00015-y

• Review • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Smart organic crystalline materials based on photo-induced topochemistry

Yuhui Song1, Xiaomin Zhang1, Lijian Ning1, Qian Zhou1, Jinkun Feng1, Yanli Wang1, Qiuyu Gong2, Yinjuan Huang1   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Shaanxi International Research Center for Soft Matter, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China;
    2. Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China
  • Received:2024-09-14 Revised:2024-10-11 Accepted:2024-10-16 Online:2025-11-29 Published:2024-12-23
  • Contact: Qiuyu Gong,E-mail:gongqiuyu@xjtu.edu.cn;Yinjuan Huang,E-mail:huangyj@xjtu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    Y. Huang is thankful for start-up funds from the Youth Talent Support Program (CL6J024) of Xi’an Jiaotong University, the National Natural Science Foundation Youth Program (52203337), Shaanxi Provincial High-Level Talent Plan Youth Project (2023SYJ10), and Qin Chuang Yuan High-Level Talents (2021QCYRC4-34).

Smart organic crystalline materials based on photo-induced topochemistry

Yuhui Song1, Xiaomin Zhang1, Lijian Ning1, Qian Zhou1, Jinkun Feng1, Yanli Wang1, Qiuyu Gong2, Yinjuan Huang1   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Shaanxi International Research Center for Soft Matter, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China;
    2. Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710061, China
  • 通讯作者: Qiuyu Gong,E-mail:gongqiuyu@xjtu.edu.cn;Yinjuan Huang,E-mail:huangyj@xjtu.edu.cn
  • 作者简介:Yuhui Song received his BS degree from Northwest A&F University in 2023. He is now pursuing her master’s degree at Xi’an Jiaotong University under the supervision of Prof. Yinjuan Huang. His current research interests include design, synthesis, co-assembly and application of novel smart luminescent materials.
    Xiaomin Zhang obtained her BS in 2019 from North University of China. Then she received her MS in 2022 from School of Chemistry, Xi’an Jiao tong University. Now she is pursuing her PhD in School of Materials Science and Engineering from the Xi’an Jiao tong University under the supervision of Prof. Yinjuan Huang. Her current research interests include design, synthesis, assembly and application of novel organic π-conjugated functional materials.
    Lijian Ning obtained his BS degree from Qingdao University of Science and Technology in 2017. Then he received his MS degree from Soochow University in 2020. Now he is pursuing his PhD in Xi’an Jiaotong University under the supervision of Prof. Yinjuan Huang. His current research interests include luminescent materials, smart chiral macrocycles and self-assembling supramolecular.
    Qian Zhou received her BS degree from Xi’an Shiyou University in 2022. She is now pursuing her master’s degree in Xi’an Jiaotong University under the supervision of Prof. Yinjuan Huang. Her current research interests include break through the structure and properties of single-component assemblies via co-assembly strategies to obtain new nanostructures, new functions and materials.
    Jinkun Feng obtained her BS in 2023 from China Agricultural University. Now she is pursuing her master’s degree in School of Materials Science and Engineering from the Xi’an Jiaotong University under the supervision of Prof. Yinjuan Huang. Her current research interests include design, synthesis, assembly and application of novel organic π-conjugated functional materials.
    Yanli Wang obtained her BS in 2023 from Yunnan University of China. Now she is pursuing her MS in School of Materials Science and Engineering from the Xi’an Jiaotong University under the supervision of Prof. Yinjuan Huang. Her current research interests include synthesis, assembly and application of novel organic π-conjugated functional materials.
    Qiuyu Gong received his Ph. D. from the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences in July, 20016. He worked as an assistant professor during 2017-2018 in Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Then he worked as a research fellow in School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University from 2019-2021. In May 2022, he joined the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University. His current research interests involve development of molecular probes or proteinbased self-assembled materials for diagnosis of some critical illness.
    Yinjuan Huang received her Ph.D. from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in July 2017. After that, she joined Nanyang Technological University as a Research Fellow in September 2017. In October 2021, she joined the School of Materials Science and Engineering of Xi’an Jiaotong University as a full professor. Her current research interest involves design, synthesis, precise self-assembly and property regulation of organic smart optoelectronic functional materials, as well as their applications in photonics, optoelectronic devices, fluorescent sensors and biological fields.
  • 基金资助:
    Y. Huang is thankful for start-up funds from the Youth Talent Support Program (CL6J024) of Xi’an Jiaotong University, the National Natural Science Foundation Youth Program (52203337), Shaanxi Provincial High-Level Talent Plan Youth Project (2023SYJ10), and Qin Chuang Yuan High-Level Talents (2021QCYRC4-34).

Abstract: Presponsive smart organic crystalline materials (SOCMs) have emerged as an attractive research topic because of their many advantages, such as well-defined structures, high structural order, and the resulting fast response speeds, as well as high energy conversion efficiency and remarkable dynamic optical/electronic changes or mechanical responses. In this review, we discuss the recent developments in SOCMs based on topochemistry beyond coordination compounds, which include [2 + 2] or [4 + 4] photocycloaddition of anthracene and olefin derivatives as well as 1, 4-addition-polymerization of diacetylenes. The detailed design principles and mechanisms associated with smart behavior, photoresponsive physical and chemical properties (i.e., photochromism, photo fluorochromism, and photodeformation), and structure-property relationships are discussed, along with their advanced applications in exciting fields such as intelligent microrobots, encryption, sensors, photoactuators, data storage, and displays. Finally, we summarize the current developments and discuss the major current challenges and future opportunities in this field. We expect that this review will inspire more innovative research into the development of advanced photoresponsive organic smart crystal materials with fast, accurate, and reversible responses, and promote the further development of smart materials and devices.

Key words: Organic Crystalline Materials, Smart, Photo-responsive, Topochemistry, Photocycloaddition

摘要: Presponsive smart organic crystalline materials (SOCMs) have emerged as an attractive research topic because of their many advantages, such as well-defined structures, high structural order, and the resulting fast response speeds, as well as high energy conversion efficiency and remarkable dynamic optical/electronic changes or mechanical responses. In this review, we discuss the recent developments in SOCMs based on topochemistry beyond coordination compounds, which include [2 + 2] or [4 + 4] photocycloaddition of anthracene and olefin derivatives as well as 1, 4-addition-polymerization of diacetylenes. The detailed design principles and mechanisms associated with smart behavior, photoresponsive physical and chemical properties (i.e., photochromism, photo fluorochromism, and photodeformation), and structure-property relationships are discussed, along with their advanced applications in exciting fields such as intelligent microrobots, encryption, sensors, photoactuators, data storage, and displays. Finally, we summarize the current developments and discuss the major current challenges and future opportunities in this field. We expect that this review will inspire more innovative research into the development of advanced photoresponsive organic smart crystal materials with fast, accurate, and reversible responses, and promote the further development of smart materials and devices.

关键词: Organic Crystalline Materials, Smart, Photo-responsive, Topochemistry, Photocycloaddition