Photoswitchable merocyanine-amphiphiles with programmable self-assembly times

Key Points

• MAIN FINDING: Merocyanine-based amphiphiles can be disassembled using visible light, allowing for innovative self-assembly techniques.
• KEY EVIDENCE: The thermal recovery of self-assembly occurs at a slower rate than the thermal isomerization of the amphiphile, indicating complex dynamics.
• APPROACH: The study tuned assembly/disassembly timing by combining various charged co-surfactants with the merocyanine-based amphiphiles.
• SIGNIFICANCE: This work advances the field by enabling programmed control of self-assembly processes in amphiphilic materials.

Abstract