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To develop advanced optical systems, many scientists have endeavored to create smart optical materials which can tune their photophysical properties by changing molecular states. However, optical multi‐states are obtained usually by mixing many dyes or stacking multi‐layered structures. Here, multiple molecular states are tried to be generated with a single dye. In order to achieve the goal, a diacetylene‐functionalized cyanostilbene luminogen (DACSM) is newly synthesized by covalently connecting diacetylene and cyanostilbene molecular functions. Photochemical reaction of cyanostilbene and topochemical polymerization of diacetylene can change the molecular state of DACSM. By thermal stimulations and the photochemical reaction, the conformation of polymerized DACSM is further tuned. The synergetic molecular cooperation of cyanostilbene and diacetylene generates multiple molecular states of DACSM. Utilizing the optical multi‐states achieved from the newly developed DACSM, switchable optical patterns and smart secret codes are successfully demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Photochemically and Thermally Programmed Optical Multi-States from a Single Diacetylene-Functionalized Cyanostilbene Luminogen" discusses the synthesis of a diacetylene-functionalized cyanostilbene luminogen (DACSM) and its application in studying the cooperation of cyanostilbene and diacetylene molecular functions. The researchers found that the different photochemistry and thermo-response of DACSM led to variations in molecular and photophysical states. These optical multi-states derived from a single DACSM molecule can be used to create new smart secret codes. [Extracted from the article]

To identify and protect authentics from counterfeits, anti‐counterfeiting materials are developed. In spite of many advances in luminescent anti‐counterfeiting materials, there is still a need for easily processible, multilevel anti‐counterfeiting materials. Here, the study reports a novel strategy for the production of smart anti‐counterfeiting inks and films using a cyanostilbene‐based liquid crystal (LC) monomer (CSRM). This smart ink is prepared by mixing CSRM and conventional nematic LC monomers. The optimized ink with a nematic mesophase is uniaxially oriented by simple shear coating for high transmittance and linearly polarized light emission. Upon subsequent irradiation with 365 nm UV light using a photomask, a phase transition to an isotropic state occurs by photoisomerization of CSRM in selected areas, resulting in unpolarized photoluminescence in those areas. Two optically different regions (UV treated and untreated) can be permanently fixed by photopolymerization under 460 nm blue light. Multilevel anti‐counterfeiting labels programmed by simple shear coating, molecular self‐assembly, selective photoisomerization, and photopolymerization fixation can provide a new insight in developing smart anti‐counterfeiting inks and films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viologen‐based reactive mesogen (VRM) is newly designed and synthesized for the development of polarization‐dependent, color‐tunable, and transparent electrochromic (EC) smart windows. By controlling electric field, the color of VRM can be intentionally tuned due to the formation of dication (D state), cation‐radical (C state), and neutral state (N state). Based on the deep understanding of phase transition of VRM, a uniaxially oriented VRM hierarchical nanostructure is successfully constructed on the macroscopic area by simple coating and self‐assembly processes. The subsequent photopolymerization significantly improves thermal, mechanical, and chemical stabilities of the VRM thin film. In addition to the control of color, the transmittance of uniaxially oriented VRM‐based EC smart window can be precisely tuned by rotating a linear polarizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop smart ionic skins capable of multi‐responsiveness and switchable ionic conductivity, a stimuli‐responsive and ionic conductive azobenzene‐based monomer is newly synthesized, uniaxially oriented, and polymerized for anisotropic liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs). Since the uniaxially oriented monodomain LCE with ionic asymmetric azobenzene monomers (i‐AAM) is prepared by thermal oligomerization, uniaxial stretching, and subsequent photopolymerization, the stimuli‐responsive i‐AAM LCE is thermally contracted by increasing the temperature above TNI as well as is bent along the aligned direction by irradiating it with UV light. In addition to the change of shape, the ionic conductivity of the LCE is reversible in response to heat and light stimuli. Polydomain i‐AAM LCE polymerized without the stretching process exhibits higher ionic conductivity than stretched monodomain LCE due to the initially formed stable ionic pathways. Ionic conductivity can also be switched simultaneously by polarity changes in response to the photoisomerization of i‐AAM, increased mobility from heat, and an elastic mechanoresponse from external stresses. These i‐AAM LCE‐based soft grippers exhibit stimuli‐responsive grasping and releasing actuation and detect ionic conductivity switches finely, suggesting potential as smart skins for advanced soft robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase and luminescence polarization of the inks are controlled and fixed by a continuous process of shear coating, UV irradiation, and subsequent blue light irradiation, which leads to anti-counterfeiting effects. Smart Anti-Counterfeiting Inks: Controlled Luminescence Polarization and Its Fixation by Photoisomerization and Subsequent Photopolymerization of Cyanostilbene-Based Liquid Crystal Monomers (Advanced Optical Materials 17/2023) Keywords: aggregation-induced emission; anti-counterfeiting; photoisomerization; photopolymerization EN aggregation-induced emission anti-counterfeiting photoisomerization photopolymerization 1 1 1 09/07/23 20230901 NES 230901 In article number 2300844, Kwang-Un Jeong and co-workers present smart anti-counterfeiting inks using a cyanostilbene-based liquid crystal monomer. [Extracted from the article]

Many studies on the basis of cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) have focused on dynamic optical changes utilizing photochemical reactions raising helical pitch variations. However, the conventional dyes doped in CLC system often show reversible isomerization such as trans‐cis, E‐Z, and open‐close forms that hampers the fixation of desired color cues. Here, a cyanostilbene‐based reactive mesogen (CSRM) for phototunable and subsequently polymerizable smart CLC paints is newly designed and synthesized. The structural color of the CLC paint can be precisely manipulated in remote controllable manner by inducing a photochemical reaction of CSRM. Due to the irreversible isomerization behaviors of CSRM, the constructed periodic structures with different helical pitches are intactly fixed via in situ photopolymerization under 460 nm light. In addition, the combination of helical nanostructures and cyanostilbene luminophore produces a circularly polarized light emission. The dissymmetry factor of circularly polarized luminescence is dependent on the photoregulated helical nanostructures in CLC films. The decoupled system of triple photofunctionality in a single component of chirophotonic crystalline material is applied to develop advanced optical information storages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical properties of newly synthesized cyanostilbene‐based AIEgen (D4CS) exhibiting a unique monotropic phase transition are modulated by engineering molecular packing structure and molecular conformation through temperature change and light irradiation. D4CS exhibits only a low‐ordered smectic liquid crystal (SmA) phase over a wide temperature range during cooling and subsequent heating processes, while D4CS crystallizes after a significantly long annealing time at room temperature. Crystallized D4CS exhibits a complex phase transition (SmCr–SmB–SmA–Iso) in the subsequent heating process. In addition, the photoisomerization behavior of D4CS from trans to cis conformer can induce a phase transition to the isotropic (Iso) state, and the reverse isomerization can occur by high‐temperature heat treatment. This unique thermal and photoinduced phase transition of D4CS is accompanied by changes in optical properties including transmittance and luminescence. Based on the optical switching behavior of D4CS, photopatternable temperature and time‐dependent optical films are demonstrated. The newly developed cyanostilbene‐based AIEgen is a smart optical material with great potential for advanced optical sensors, anti‐counterfeiting ink and smart display system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article "Ionic Conductivity Switchable and Shape Changeable Smart Skins with Azobenzene-Based Ionic Reactive Mesogens," researchers Kwang-Un Jeong and colleagues discuss the development of a new type of smart skin using a synthesized azobenzene-based ionic monomer. This liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) is capable of shape-changing and has switchable ionic conductivity. The researchers suggest that this new material could be used as a multi-responsive and reversible smart actuator and ionic skin for soft robotic applications. [Extracted from the article]

Keywords: chiroptical property; helical nanostructures; photoisomerization; photopolymerization; smart paints EN chiroptical property helical nanostructures photoisomerization photopolymerization smart paints 1 1 1 03/21/23 20230315 NES 230315 In article number 2202707, Kwang-Un Jeong and co-workers present chiroptical smart paints using cyanostilbene-based reactive mesogens. Chiroptical property, helical nanostructures, photoisomerization, photopolymerization, smart paints The helical nanostructures in the developed paint are precisely controlled and fixed by UV light and subsequent blue light irradiation. [Extracted from the article]

Aggregation-induced emission, cyclosiloxane, molecular packing structure, monotropic phase transition, photoisomerization Keywords: aggregation-induced emission; cyclosiloxane; molecular packing structure; monotropic phase transition; photoisomerization EN aggregation-induced emission cyclosiloxane molecular packing structure monotropic phase transition photoisomerization 1 1 1 06/07/22 20220603 NES 220603 Kwang-Un Jeong and co-workers (article number 2200405) present a smart optical film with a programmed cyanostilbene-based aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen). Cyanostilbene-Based AIEgen Smart Film: Optical Switching by Engineering Molecular Packing Structure and Molecular Conformation Through Thermal and Photoinduced Monotropic Phase Transition (Advanced Optical Materials 11/2022). [Extracted from the article]