Photo- and Electro- Switchable Hybrid Assembly of Redox-Active Polyoxometalates and Block Copolymers

Abstract

The hybrid assembled materials based on redox-active polyoxometalates H3PMo12O40·nH2O and the neutral–cationic block copolymers poly(ethylene oxide-block-N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) in aqueous solution were constructed through electrostatic interactions. Triggered by photochemical or electrochemical methods, the charge number of the redox-active polyoxometalates charged in situ, which not only induced the chromisity of the solution, but also driven diverse morphologies of the assembly. The assembly morphologies could be switched between spherical micelles and wormlike micelles after extra stimuli. Both of chromic and assembling processes are reversible and repeatable. Moreover, the hybrid materials improve the processability of the inorganic cluster polyoxometalates which maintains its original chromic properties at the same time. This simple strategy put a general way to fabricate smart stimuli-responsive polyoxometalates-based functional materials with potential applications in optical switches, biosensors, detectors and electrochromic devices. The variety of the ionic inorganic clusters and polyelectrolytes offered a broaden platform to enrich the electrostatic-motivated assembling and expand their applications.