Visualizing Triplet Energy Transfer in Organic Near-Infrared Phosphorescent Host-Guest Materials
Zihao Deng
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorFan-Cheng Kong
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorZiqi Deng
Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorJiaming Zhou
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorShengyi Yang
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorShan He
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorJianyu Zhang
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorYunfei Zuo
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorJin Wang
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorXinmeng Chen
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorRyan T. K. Kwok
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorGuocheng Jia
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorPhilip C. Y. Chow
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorDavid Lee Phillips
Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Parvej Alam
Clinical Translational Research Center of Aggregation-Induced Emission, School of Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen), Guangdong, 518172 China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Jacky W. Y. Lam
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Ben Zhong Tang
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
School of Science and Engineering, Institute of Aggregate Science and Technology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen), Guangdong, 518172 China
Search for more papers by this authorZihao Deng
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorFan-Cheng Kong
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorZiqi Deng
Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorJiaming Zhou
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorShengyi Yang
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorShan He
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorJianyu Zhang
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorYunfei Zuo
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorJin Wang
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorXinmeng Chen
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorRyan T. K. Kwok
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorGuocheng Jia
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorPhilip C. Y. Chow
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorDavid Lee Phillips
Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Parvej Alam
Clinical Translational Research Center of Aggregation-Induced Emission, School of Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen), Guangdong, 518172 China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Jacky W. Y. Lam
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Ben Zhong Tang
Department of Chemistry and the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
School of Science and Engineering, Institute of Aggregate Science and Technology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen), Guangdong, 518172 China
Search for more papers by this authorGraphical Abstract
Novel NIR phosphors are constructed using a n-π-n molecular design strategy. Their phosphorescence can be readily modulated by altering the conjugated core structures. When incorporated into a 4-bromobenzophenone host, these materials exhibit efficient NIR phosphorescence ranging from 655–710 nm. Analysis of the exciton transition process reveals that the enhanced phosphorescence of the guest originates from the triplet energy transfer of abundant triplet excitons generated independently by the host material.
Abstract
Limited by the energy gap law, purely organic materials with efficient near-infrared room temperature phosphorescence are rare and difficult to achieve. Additionally, the exciton transition process among different emitting species in host–guest phosphorescent materials remains elusive, presenting a significant academic challenge. Herein, using a modular nonbonding orbital-π bridge-nonbonding orbital (n-π-n) molecular design strategy, we develop a series of heavy atom-free phosphors. Systematic modification of the π-conjugated cores enables the construction of a library with tunable near-infrared phosphorescence from 655 to 710 nm. These phosphors exhibit excellent performance under ambient conditions when dispersed into a 4-bromobenzophenone host matrix, achieving an extended lifetime of 11.25 ms and a maximum phosphorescence efficiency of 4.2 %. Notably, by eliminating the interference from host phosphorescence, the exciton transition process in hybrid materials can be visualized under various excitation conditions. Spectroscopic analysis reveals that the improved phosphorescent performance of the guest originates from the triplet-triplet energy transfer of abundant triplet excitons generated independently by the host, rather than from enhanced intersystem crossing efficiency between the guest singlet state and the host triplet state. The findings provide in-depth insights into constructing novel near-infrared phosphors and exploring emission mechanisms of host–guest materials.
Conflict of Interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Open Research
Data Availability Statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Supporting Information
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