Mechano-fluorochromic behavior of AEE polyurethane films and their high sensitivity to halogen acid gas

Three polyurethanes with different contents of tetraaryl-buta-1,3-diene derivatives in the soft segment (STMPU-25/STMPU-50/STMPU-75) have been synthesized and found to present aggregation-enhanced emission features. The fluorescence intensity of polymer films was greatly enhanced with increasing tensile stress. Also, polyurethanes with higher aggregation-induced emission fluorogen content had stronger mechano-fluorochromic behavior in the same tension state. Moreover, the resulting polyurethane films possessed high sensitivity for halogen acid gas, suggesting their potential applications in environmental monitoring fields.