Hydrogen bonding boosted the persistent room temperature phosphorescence of pure organic compounds for multiple applications. Issue 29 (12th July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Tingting; Gao, Heqi; Lv, Anqi; Wang, Ziyi; Gong, Yongyang; Ding, Dan; Ma, Huili; Zhang, Yongming; Yuan, Wang Zhang
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 7:Issue 29(2019)
• Page Start: 9095
• Page End: 9101
• Publication Date: 2019-07-12
• Subjects: Materials -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Optical materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Electronics -- Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c9tc02879j
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7526

Abstract

Abstract : Pure organic compounds with p-RTP efficiency being enhanced through hydrogen bonding could be fabricated into nanoparticles for in vivo imaging. Abstract : Persistent room temperature phosphorescence (p-RTP) of pure organic compounds is drawing much attention due to its unique advantages and promising applications in anticounterfeiting, encryption, bioimaging, etc. Achieving efficient p-RTP, however, remains challenging. In this contribution, we designed and synthesized three benzoic acid–carbazole conjugates, 4-BACZ, 3-BACZ and 2-BACZ, with strong hydrogen bonding and a dimer structure in their crystals. Compared with their ester counterparts, whose highest RTP efficiency ( Φ p ) is 2.6%, these acids exhibit significantly boosted Φ p of 6.9%, 3.4% and 2.6% for 4-BACZ, 3-BACZ and 2-BACZ, respectively. Such enhancement should be ascribed to the effective and abundant hydrogen bonding in the crystals, which significantly depressed the vibrational dissipation. This effect is also confirmed by the theoretically calculated much lower reorganization energies. These crystals are also readily fabricated into biocompatible nanoparticles (NPs) with an inherited p-RTP characteristic. Such a p-RTP feature of the crystals and the NPs makes them highly promising for versatile applications. Herein, the application of these materials in anticounterfeiting and high resolution in vivo afterglow bioimaging is demonstrated.