Mechano-chromic and mechano-enhanced electrogenerated chemiluminescence of tetra[4-(4-cyanophenyl)phenyl]ethene.

Mechano-chromic and mechano-enhanced electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) from tetra[4-(4-cyanophenyl)phenyl]ethene (TCPPE) is reported for the first time. TCPPE displays intense mechano-enhanced ECL ( Φ ECL,crystal = 12.1%, Φ ECL,ground = 75.5%) and contrastingly mechano-chromic ECL ( λ ECL,crystal = 478 nm, λ ECL,ground = 528 nm). The application of TCPPE as sensitive bi-functional mechanical force reporters is successfully performed in rewritable and optical-recording applications.