At present

the detection and monitoring of early aging or slight aging of polymer materials are faced with many difficulties

of which the most urgent need is to develop sensitive and efficient characterization methods. As a very sensitive analytical technology successfully applied in biomedical

environmental science

material science and other fields

fluorescent probe technology has the advantages of low detection limit and strong visibility

which indicates its potential to characterize the early aging of polymers. During the aging process of polymer materials

free radical species

hydroxyl

carboxyl and other groups will often be produced

and the environmental stress

humidity

matrix polarity and other properties will also change

which provides a useful place for the stimulus response behavior of fluorescent probes. In this review

the development history of various fluorescent probes is briefly described

the essential mechanisms of fluorescent probes that label the changes in the aforementioned materials are discussed

the typical applications of fluorescence probes for chemical and microenvironment response are expatiated and the synthesis methods of some probes are exhibited. Finally

the scientific problems and application challenges of fluorescence probe technology are systematically summarized

hoping to be beneficial to the research work of the majority of peers.