Design of Broadband Visible-light Responsive Molecular Switches and Materials

With the support of the Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry Program in the Division of Chemistry, Dr. Read de Alaniz of the University of California Santa Barbara will explore new ways to use light to control materials. This project will focus on developing new photoresponsive molecules that changes their shape, color, and molecular properties when exposed to visible light, including sunlight. These molecules, known as photoswitches, will be designed to work in water and solid materials, making them useful in medical technology, underwater robotics, and smart devices. Unlike many current systems that require harmful ultraviolet (UV) light, these new materials will respond to safer and more accessible visible light. This could lead to new kinds of soft robotics or self-healing materials that work under water or inside the body. In addition to these technological advances, the project will provide training opportunities for students at all levels through hands-on research and outreach programs. Graduate students will gain experience across chemistry and materials science, preparing them for careers in science and engineering, while also engaging in educational efforts that inspire the next generation of scientists. This research will involve the design and synthesis of a new class of donor–acceptor Stenhouse adduct (DASA)-based photoswitches with enhanced stability and switching ability in polar protic environments. In particular, the work will develop water-compatible DASAs and investigate their reversible structural behavior, which could allow for self-healing systems. The team will also create a modular platform to integrate these photoswitches into liquid crystal elastomers, enabling visible light-triggered actuation in solid-state materials, including underwater environments. The broader goal is to expand our fundamental understand of the relationship between molecular structure and responsive behavior to build next-generation materials that can change shape, repair themselves, or perform mechanical tasks in response to light, without the need for external wiring or power sources. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.