Aggregation-induced Emission-active Polymers

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) has attracted increasing attention due to its advantages of facile synthesis and high photoluminescence (PL) efficiency in the solid state. The typical AIEgens are hexaphenylsilole (HPS), tetraphenylethene (TPE), 9,10-distyrylanthracene (DSA), and polysubstituted benzene. AIE-active polymers are generally constructed by integrating AIEgens into the polymer main chains, side chains, or end groups, and the chemical response towards external stimuli can be implemented via introducing various functional groups. Compared to small molecules, polymers have additional advantages in terms of functionalization and processability, since their photophysical properties can be finely tuned to meet the needs of practical applications. In this chapter, we briefly describe the molecular design strategies for AIE polymers, including linear polymers, dendrimers, and hyperbranched polymers. Thereafter, the representative AIE polymers in various fields such as OLEDs, chemical probes for the detection of nitroaromatic explosives, CO2, pH, metal ions, light, and temperature, and conjugated microporous polymers are summarized. Finally, the challenges and future expectations for the molecular design of AIE polymers are discussed.