UV-Light-Induced Morphological Transformation of Spiropyran Assemblies from Irregular Sheet-like Structures to Nanospheres

Studies on self-assembling systems with a controllable morphology responding to light stimulation are significant for revealing the process and mechanism of assembly. Here, a molecule of spiropyran derivative ( SP ) possessing photoresponsive assembly morphology is constructed. SP self-assembles into irregular sheet-like structures whose morphology can be significantly transformed into regular nanospheres under continuous ultraviolet light stimulation. The UV–vis absorption spectra indicate that 56% of SP are isomerized from closed-ring form ( SPC ) to open-ring form ( SPO ) with color changes from colorless to magenta. Furthermore, theoretical calculations demonstrate that SPO-SPO aggregates possess stronger van der Waals forces than do SPC–SPC aggregates and tend to form stable intermediates combined with SPO isomers. Therefore, the isomerization of SP from SPC to SPO and the differences in intermolecular interactions are important factors in the morphological transition. Our study provides an efficient strategy to modulate the assembled morphology, which holds great promise to be applied in the field of smart materials.