Piezofluorochromic Metal–Organic Framework: A Microscissor Lift

We
have successfully constructed a metal–organic framework,
denoted as PCN-128W, starting from chromophoric linker and zirconium
salt. PCN-128W exhibits interesting piezofluorochromic behavior, the
color reversibly changes from white to yellow and so does the emission
maximum from 470 to 538 nm. The stepwise fluorescence change was monitored
by fluorospectroscopy which demonstrated gradual shift of the emission
maximum when sequential compression was exerted. In order to gain
deep insights into the piezofluorochromic mechanism, both the white
and yellow phases are structurally characterized.