Red and Robust: Highly Stable Electrofluorochromic Switching in Cyano‐Substituted Aggregation‐Induced Emission‐Active Conjugated Polymers

Red and Robust: Highly Stable Electrofluorochromic Switching in Cyano‐Substituted Aggregation‐Induced Emission‐Active Conjugated Polymers

Advanced Optical Materials

10.1002/adom.202502075

https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.202502075

Bryan Yat Kit Hui, Ran Tao, Kang Le Osmund Chin, Xiang Yun Debbie Soo, Anqi Sng, Syed Ali Abbas Abedi, Kok Chan Chong, Xiaogang Liu, Jianwei Xu, Ming Hui Chua

Electrofluorochromic, AIE, switching, Conjugated polymers

13 December 2025

Hui, B. Y. K., Tao, R., Chin, K. L. O., Soo, X. Y. D., Sng, A., Abedi, S. A. A., Chong, K. C., Liu, X., Xu, J., & Chua, M. H. (2025). Red and Robust: Highly Stable Electrofluorochromic Switching in Cyano‐Substituted Aggregation‐Induced Emission‐Active Conjugated Polymers. Advanced Optical Materials. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.202502075

Abstract Research interest in electrofluorochromic (EFC) polymers is rapidly growing, yet significant gaps remain, notably the scarcity of red‐emitting EFC polymers and the need to improve long‐term switching stability. Both challenges may be addressed by incorporating electron donor and acceptor monomers into conjugated polymers. Herein, three pairs of isomeric conjugated polymers featuring different nitrile group distributions are synthesized. Among them, only the pair incorporating α‐cyanostilbene acceptors exhibited red fluorescence with pronounced aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) characteristics, whereas polymers bearing α,β‐dicyanostilbene and 3,3′‐(1,4‐phenylene)bis(2‐phenylacrylonitrile) units are non‐emissive. Computational studies are conducted to elucidate the structure–property relationships. Detailed EFC property studies of the two red‐emissive AIE polymers, p(g‐1CN) and p(v‐1CN), revealed robust EFC performance, with reversible red fluorescence quenching (λ em = 624 and 622 nm) under ±1.2 and ±1.4 V, respectively. The polymers achieved comparable contrast ratios (I OFF/ON ) of 9.7 and 11.6 and exhibited faster switching response times than their uncyanated stilbene‐based analogues, which can be further improved by incorporating ethyl viologen into the devices. Both polymers demonstrated outstanding operational stability, maintaining performance over 2500 cycles, with p(v‐1CN) remaining functional after 10 000 cycles. These results represent the most red‐shifted emissions and the highest switching stabilities reported for AIE‐active EFC polymers to date.

Publisher Copyright

This research / project is supported by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore (A*STAR) - Horizontal Technology Coordinating Offices (HTCO) Fund
Grant Reference no. : C231218001

This research / project is supported by the Singapore University of Technology and Design - Kickstarter Initiative
Grant Reference no. : SKI 2021_03_10

This research / project is supported by the Ministry of Education, Singapore - Academic Research Fund Tier 2
Grant Reference no. : MOE-T2EP10222-0001

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Hui, B. Y. K., Tao, R., Chin, K. L. O., Soo, X. Y. D., Sng, A., Abedi, S. A. A., Chong, K. C., Liu, X., Xu, J., & Chua, M. H. (2025). Red and Robust: Highly Stable Electrofluorochromic Switching in Cyano‐Substituted Aggregation‐Induced Emission‐Active Conjugated Polymers. Advanced Optical Materials. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.202502075 , which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.202502075. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.

https://oar.a-star.edu.sg/communities-collections/articles/22635

2195-1071
2195-1071

Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy and Environment