Multi-Functional Applications of a Metal-Free Viologen Supramolecular Compound: UV Detection, Amine Sensing, and Ink-Free Printing

Abstract

Multi-stimuli responsive chromic (MSRC) materials are a class of smart materials capable of altering their appearance or emission color in response to external stimuli, exhibiting potential for application in fields such as detection, anti-counterfeiting, and information storage. However, most reported systems are based on metal-coordinated structures, whose potential toxicity and high manufacturing costs may hinder their practical application. In this study, a novel metal-free viologen based supramolecular compound was synthesized to circumvent these drawbacks. This compound demonstrates not only conventional photochromic properties but also exhibits promising functionalities in light-controlled fluorescence, UV detection, amine sensing, and information storage. This work aims to provide a new strategy for constructing metal-free MSRC materials.