Formation of an orthogonal supramolecular polymer on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surface was demonstrated for the first time by means of scanning probe microscopy (SPM). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed to characterize the variation of both the thickness and the topography of the film formed from (1) monomer 1, (2) monomer 1/Zn2+, and (3) monomer 1/Zn2+/cross-linker 2, respectively. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was used to monitor the self-assembly behavior of monomer 1 itself, as well as 1/Zn2+ ions binary system on graphite surface, further testifying for the formation of linear polymer via coordination interaction at the single molecule level. These results, given by the strong surface characterization tool of SPM, confirm the formation of the orthogonal polymer on the surface of graphite, which has great significance in regard to fabricating a complex superstructure on surfaces.

A hyperbranched fluorescent supramolecular polymer with aggregation induced emission properties was constructed by the orthogonal assembly of host–guest and metal–ligand interactions.

•A new colorimetric fluorescence sensor (1) was synthesized.•1 recognized selectively Hg2 + and Cu2 + ions by the colorimetric and fluorescence dual mode.•Three logic gates (OR, IMPLICATION, INHIBIT) were constructed.A BODIPY-based 1 as a colorimetric fluorescence sensor was synthesized, and its metal sensing property was investigated. 1 displayed high selectivity and sensitivity towards Hg2 + and Cu2 + ions among 15 different metal cations. The addition of Hg2 + and Cu2 + ions into 1 in CH3CN resulted in a significant bathochromic shift of the UV absorption spectra from 533 nm to 560 nm and 593 nm, respectively, changing the corresponding colors from pink to purple and blue. When excited at 530 nm, the fluorescence intensity of 1 was quenched over 75% upon addition of Hg2 + ions, while 1 with Cu2 + ions exhibited significant fluorescence enhancement with a 23 nm red-shift. Based on these results, three logic gates (OR, IMPLICATION, and INHIBIT) were obtained by controlling the chemical inputs.

Helical nano-ribbons with a large aspect ratio were obtained through the self-assembly of an achiral amphiphile. The symmetry breaking is attributed to the orderly but twisted stacking of terpyridine groups. In addition, the morphology of the assemblies can be tuned by the coordination between terpyridine and Zn2+ ion.

A fluorescent supramolecular polymer with aggregation induced emission properties formed by crown ether-based host–guest interactions was prepared. It can be used as a fluorescent sensor for Pd2+ ions.

Poly(aryleneethynylene)s containing BODIPY (4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene) (P1) were prepared by palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira polymerization of 2,6-diiodo-functionalized BODIPY monomer (M1) with 1,4-diethynyl-2,5-didodecyl-oxybenzene monomer (M2). The structures of the monomer (M1) and copolymer (P1) were confirmed by 1H-NMR and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies; their optical properties were characterized by UV-Vis absorption, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and the Z-scan technique. Both UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence emission of copolymer P1 red-shifted to longer wavelengths (λabs: from 502 nm to 542 nm; λem: from 511 nm to 631 nm) relative to those of the monomer M1 due to the π-conjugation extension of the copolymer. The third-order nonlinear optical coefficient (χ(3)) of copolymer P1 was 1.94 × 10−10 esu, which is almost two or three orders of magnitude greater than that of common conjugated polymers without BODPIY moiety.

A stimuli-responsive supramolecular polymer network was constructed by the orthogonal assembly of metal–ligand interactions and host–guest interactions.

A stimuli-responsive supramolecular polymer network was constructed by the orthogonal assembly of metal–ligand interactions and host–guest interactions.