Nano?3D?Printed Photochromic Micro?Objects

Molecular photoswitches that can reversibly change color upon irradiation are promising materials for applications in molecular actuation and photoresponsive materials. However, the fabrication of photochromic devices is limited to conventional approaches such as mold casting spin-coating, which cannot fabricate complex structures. Reported here first photoresist direct laser writing 3D micro-objects via two-photon polymerization. The integration photochromism into thiol–ene photo-clickable resins enables rapid processing highly microstructures facile postmodification using a series donor–acceptor Stenhouse adduct (DASA) with different excitation wavelengths. versatility photo-click reactions allows fine-tuning network structure physical properties well type concentration DASA. When exposed visible light, these exhibit excellent photoresponsiveness undergo reversible color-changing photoisomerization. It demonstrated fluorescence variations DASAs be used reporter photoswitching thermal recovery, allowing reading DASA-containing sub-micrometric structures 3D. This work delivers new approach custom microfabrication objects molecularly engineered responsiveness.