Pyrene-Based Macrocrosslinkers with Supramolecular Mechanochromism for Elastic Deformation Sensing in Hydrogel Networks

Excimer-containing polymers with supramolecular mechanochromism are an attractive and well-investigated class of mechanoresponsive materials. However, only recently steps toward mechanophore-like mechanochromic systems that anchored within the parent polymer structure show defined optical transitions on molecular scale have been reported. multi-step syntheses these constructs tedious. Here we report development a series pyrene-based macrocrosslinkers display readily synthesized from mostly commercial reagents. We incorporate water-soluble in hydrogel networks demonstrate their reversible behavior elastic deformation regime.