Diarylethene-Powered Photo-Switching between Precipitated Nanostrips and Dispersed Supramolecular Polymers

Abstract

UV and visible light irradiation reversibly switches diarylethene-based supramolecular assembly between precipitated, ordered nanostrip aggregates and uniformly dispersed supramolecular fibers in a nonpolar solvent by modulating conformational freedom. High-speed AFM visualizes light-driven solid-liquid interfacial dynamics, revealing the end-initiated anisotropic dissolution of nanostrips and reassembly into fibers.