Advances in polydiacetylene development for the design of side chain groups in smart material applications – a mini review

As a kind of smart material, polydiacetylene (PDA) has a unique conjugated structure, providing a powerful tool for building the diversity of the chemical structure, applying for different sensors. This review focuses on various side chain groups based on PDAs published over the last 3 years, covering urea, melamine, ferriferous oxide and coumarin. Perspectives on the remaining challenges and future developments are also proposed.