Photo-switchable and self-erasable fluorescent nanoprobe

[Display omitted] •Fluorescent nanoprobe based on self-assembly of amphiphilic derivative of rhodamine B is proposed.•The fluorescent nanoprobe is photo-switchable.•The fluorescence on/off switching system enables drawing of a photo-switchable and self-erasable image. Optically switchable fluorescent molecule is useful for developing photo-functional materials. However, most of the conventional fluorescent molecule is in a class of “always-on” type, which does not possess a fluorescence switching function. In this work, switchable fluorescent nanoparticles based on self-assembly of amphiphilic derivative of rhodamine B is synthesized and evaluated for its optical properties. The fluorescent nanoparticles functioned as a photo-switchable and self-erasable nanoprobe by reversible intramolecular ring opening cyclization of the rhodamine B derivative in dispersion and free-standing hydrogel.