Multistimuli Responsive and Electroactive Supramolecular Gels Based on Ionic Liquid Gemini Guest

Abstract

Electroactive supramolecular gels with multistimuli responsiveness were fabricated through host-guest interactions between a host polymer containing β-cyclodextrin (CD) and an ionic liquid (IL) type asymmetric gemini guest, which contains both ferrocene (Fc) and bis(trifluoromethyl-sulfonyl)imide (TFSI^-) as the respective α- and ω-guest groups. Owing to the multiple stimuli-responsiveness of the host-guest interactions, reversible sol-gel phase transition could be triggered by various stimuli, including temperature, electrochemical/chemical redox and anion-exchange reactions. Due to the intrinsically conductive properties of the IL gemini guest, the sol-gel transition behavior could be electrochemically controlled by the applied voltage, without using additional supporting electrolyte.