Bundle formation of supramolecular fibers of amphiphilic diarylethene by depletion force

Abstract

Supramolecular nanofibers composed of the closed-ring isomer of a diarylethene formed bundles in a methylcellulose aqueous solution by depletion force while the spheres composed of the open-ring isomer were not coagulated. Upon irradiation with UV light to the suspension of the open-ring isomer, fibers were found to be generated and the formed submillimeter-sized bundles showed a photoinduced shrinking of more than 100 μm under visible light irradiation.