Renewable Fluorescent Liquid Crystal Elastomers for Potential Use in Temperature Indicator During Short-time Vaccine Transportation

Xiao-Yang Cong; Chen Yang; De-Kang Guo; Jin-Bao Guo

doi:10.1007/s10118-025-3305-y

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Renewable Fluorescent Liquid Crystal Elastomers for Potential Use in Temperature Indicator During Short-time Vaccine Transportation

RESEARCH ARTICLE | Updated：2025-04-01

- Renewable Fluorescent Liquid Crystal Elastomers for Potential Use in Temperature Indicator During Short-time Vaccine Transportation
- Renewable Fluorescent Liquid Crystal Elastomers for Potential Use in Temperature Indicator During Short-time Vaccine Transportation
- 高分子科学（英文） 2025年43卷第4期页码：616-624
- Affiliations：
  
  Key Laboratory of Carbon Fibers and Functional Polymers, Ministry of Education, and College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Author bio：
  
  guojb@mail.buct.edu.cn
- Funds：
  
  We acknowledge the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 52073017 and 51773009). This work is also funded by the Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT) and the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) Innovation Consortium.;Electronic supplementary information (ESI) is available free of charge in the online version of this article at http://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-025-3305-y.
- DOI：10.1007/s10118-025-3305-y
  中图分类号：
- 收稿日期：2024-11-25，
  
  修回日期：2024-12-10，
  
  录用日期：2024-12-27，
  
  网络出版日期：2025-02-27，
  
  纸质出版日期：2025-04-01
- Accepted：
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Cong, X. Y.; Yang, C.; Guo, D. K.; Guo, J. B. Renewable fluorescent liquid crystal elastomers for potential use in temperature indicator during short-time vaccine transportation. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025, 43, 616–624

Xiao-Yang Cong, Chen Yang, De-Kang Guo, et al. Renewable Fluorescent Liquid Crystal Elastomers for Potential Use in Temperature Indicator During Short-time Vaccine Transportation[J]. Chinese journal of polymer science, 2025, 43(4): 616-624.
Cong, X. Y.; Yang, C.; Guo, D. K.; Guo, J. B. Renewable fluorescent liquid crystal elastomers for potential use in temperature indicator during short-time vaccine transportation. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025, 43, 616–624 DOI： 10.1007/s10118-025-3305-y.

Xiao-Yang Cong, Chen Yang, De-Kang Guo, et al. Renewable Fluorescent Liquid Crystal Elastomers for Potential Use in Temperature Indicator During Short-time Vaccine Transportation[J]. Chinese journal of polymer science, 2025, 43(4): 616-624. DOI： 10.1007/s10118-025-3305-y.

摘要

A renewable fluorescent LCE obtained from multiple monomers containing 1

2-dithiolane end groups is developed. The transparency and fluorescence intensity of the LCE film can be changed at a phase transition temperature of 8.0 °C. The potential application of LCE film in temperature monitoring of short-time vaccine transportation is demonstrated.

Abstract

With the rise in environmental awareness

the development of smart polymer materials is gradually becoming environmentally friendly and sustainable. Fluorescent liquid crystal elastomers (LCE) can change their shape or optical properties in response to external stimuli

showing great potential for applications in sensing

information storage

and encryption. However

their life cycle is often unsustainable and not in line with the circular economy model. Based on the principle of green chemistry

a fluorescent LCE was developed through the co-polymerization of multiple monomers with 1

2-dithiolane end groups

which exhibited excellent self-healing

reprocessing

and closed-loop recyclability. In addition

by tailoring the phase transition temperature of the LCE

the transparency and fluorescence intensity of the resulting material can change at a low temperature of 8.0 °C. By further integrating light or acid/base-triggered fluorescence information

a proof-of-concept for temperature monitoring during short-time vaccine transportation using the reusable fluorescent LCE film is demonstrated. This study establishes a new environmentally friendly manufacturing strategy for multifunctional LCE materials.

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references

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