Precise peripheral design enables propeller-like squaraine dye with highly sensitive and wide-range piezochromism

Piezochromic fluorescent (PCF) materials that feature high sensitivity and wide-range switching are attractive in intelligent optoelectronic applications but their fabrication remains a significant challenge. Here we present a propeller-like squaraine dye SQ-NMe2 decorated with four peripheral dimethylamines acting as electron donors and spatial obstacles. This precise peripheral design is expected to loosen the molecular packing pattern and facilitate more substantial intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) switching caused by conformational planarization under mechanical stimuli. As such, the pristine SQ-NMe2 microcrystal exhibits significant fluorescence changes from yellow (lambda(em) = 554 nm) to orange (lambda(em) = 590 nm) upon slight mechanical grinding and further to deep red (lambda(em) = 648 nm) upon heavy mechanical grinding. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction structural analysis of two SQ-NMe2 polymorphs provides direct evidence to illustrate the design concept of such a piezochromic molecule. The piezochromic behavior of SQ-NMe2 microcrystals is sensitive, high-contrast, and easily reversible, enabling cryptographic applications.

Automated summary

We designed a propeller-like squaraine dye SQ-NMe2 decorated with four peripheral dimethylamines to achieve high sensitivity and wide-range color switching in piezochromic fluorescent materials. The precise peripheral design improves molecular packing and facilitates intramolecular charge transfer under mechanical stimuli. The SQ-NMe2 microcrystals exhibit significant fluorescence changes from yellow to orange to deep red, making them suitable for crytographic applications.