Host–guest interaction-mediated fabrication of aggregation-induced emission supramolecular hydrogel for use as aqueous light-harvesting systems

Aqueous light-harvesting systems in hydrogels formed by specific noncovalent interactions exhibit both solution and solid-state performance. In this work, the copolymerisation of acrylamide (AM), 4-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl) phenyl acrylate (vTPE), and guest units 1-benzyl-3vinylimidazolium (G) was carried out with initiator to form P(AM-vTPE-G). Then, supramolecular hydrogels were fabricated by dynamic host–guest interactions the guest unit and host molecule cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]). The aggregated tetraphenylethylene (TPE) moieties in the polymer chains aggregate together, possessed high fluorescence enhancement during the cross-linking process. Meanwhile, emission characteristics of the obtained aqueous light-harvesting systems were further examined by using the donor (supramolecular hydrogel) and acceptor (Eosin Y disodium salt) system. The process provides a novel method for the production of fluorescence and self–healing supramolecular hydrogel with various potential applications.