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Alberoni C, Pavan G, Scattolin T, Aliprandi A. Critical Aspects and Challenges in the Design of Small Molecules for Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) Application. Chempluschem 2024; 89:e202400142. [PMID: 38687095 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202400142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) has gained renewed interest due to the strong parallel development of luminophores in the field of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) with which this technique shares several aspects. In this perspective review we discuss the most relevant advances of the past 15 years in the study of organic and organometallic compounds as ECL emitters, by dividing them in three different classes: i) fluorescent emitters, ii) phosphorescent emitters and iii) Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence (TADF) emitters; then, water-soluble organic luminophores will be also discussed. We focus on how their design, their photo- and electrochemical properties and, in particular, the nature of the emitter, affect their efficiency in ECL. Regardless of the type of luminophore or the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), the literature converges on the fact that the most determining aspect is the stability of the oxidized/reduced form of the emitter. Even if phosphorescent emitters can show outstanding efficiency, this often requires the absence of oxygen. In the case of TADFs, there is also a strong dependence of photoluminescence both in terms of PLQY and emission energy on the polarity of the media, so compounds, that appear promising in organic solvents, may be very inefficient in aqueous media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Alberoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di, Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Giulio Pavan
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di, Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Thomas Scattolin
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di, Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Aliprandi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli Studi di, Padova, Via Marzolo 1, 35131, Padova, Italy
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2
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Wei J, Yang N, Li F, Cai S, Zhang B, Cai Z. Direct Comparative Studies Revealing the Contribution of TADF Activity of Organic Emitters Towards Efficient Electrochemiluminescence. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202401036. [PMID: 38742490 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202401036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) featuring thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) properties has attracted considerable interest, showcasing their potential for 100 % exciton harvesting, which marks a significant advancement in the realm of organic ECL. However, the challenge of elucidating the precise contribution of TADF to the enhanced ECL efficiency arises due to the lack of comparative studies of organic compounds with or without efficient TADF properties. In this study, we present four carbazole-benzonitrile molecules possessing similar chemical structures and comparable exchange energy (ΔEST). Despite their comparable properties, these compounds exhibited varying TADF efficiencies, warranting a closer examination of their underlying structural and electronic characteristics governing the optical properties. Consequently, intense ECL emission was only observed from 4CzBN with a remarkable TADF efficiency, underscoring the substantial difference in the ECL signal among molecules with comparable ΔEST and similar spectral properties but varying TADF activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinliu Wei
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Environment, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Modern Analytical Science and Separation Technology, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou, Fujian, 363000, China
| | - Nairong Yang
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Environment, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Modern Analytical Science and Separation Technology, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou, Fujian, 363000, China
| | - Feiming Li
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Environment, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Modern Analytical Science and Separation Technology, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou, Fujian, 363000, China
| | - Shunyou Cai
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Environment, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Modern Analytical Science and Separation Technology, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou, Fujian, 363000, China
| | - Baohua Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Center for Advanced Analytical Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials and Devices, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Photoelectric Sensing Materials and Devices, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, China
| | - Zhixiong Cai
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Environment, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Modern Analytical Science and Separation Technology, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou, Fujian, 363000, China
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3
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Chu K, Ding Z, Zysman-Colman E. Materials for Electrochemiluminescence: TADF, Hydrogen-Bonding, and Aggregation- and Crystallization-Induced Emission Luminophores. Chemistry 2023; 29:e202301504. [PMID: 37344360 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202301504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a rapidly growing discipline with many analytical applications from immunoassays to single-molecule detection. At the forefront of ECL research is materials chemistry, which looks at engineering new materials and compounds exhibiting enhanced ECL efficiencies compared to conventional fluorescent materials. In this review, we summarize recent molecular design strategies that lead to high efficiency ECL. In particular, we feature recent advances in the use of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters to produce enhanced electrochemiluminescence. We also document how hydrogen bonding, aggregation, and crystallization can each be recruited in the design of materials showing enhanced electrochemiluminescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Chu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Zhifeng Ding
- Department of Chemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Eli Zysman-Colman
- Organic Semiconductor Centre, EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9ST, UK
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4
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Wang C, Wu J, Huang H, Xu Q, Ju H. Electrochemiluminescence of Polymer Dots Featuring Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence for Sensitive DNA Methylation Detection. Anal Chem 2022; 94:15695-15702. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c02934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Jie Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Hao Huang
- Research & Development Center, Canon Medical Systems (China) Co., Ltd.Beijing, 100015, China
| | - Qiqi Xu
- Research & Development Center, Canon Medical Systems (China) Co., Ltd.Beijing, 100015, China
| | - Huangxian Ju
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
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5
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Huang P, Zou X, Xu Z, Lan Y, Chen L, Zhang B, Niu L. Studies on Annihilation and Coreactant Electrochemiluminescence of Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescent Molecules in Organic Medium. Molecules 2022; 27:7457. [PMID: 36364282 PMCID: PMC9658960 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27217457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Very recently, there is a great research interest in electrochemiluminescence (ECL) featuring thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) properties, i.e., TADF-ECL. It is appealing since the earlier reports in this topic well-confirmed that this strategy has a great potential in achieving all-exciton-harvesting ECL efficiency under electrochemical excitation, which is a breakthrough in the topic of organic ECL. However, organic phase electrochemistry and ECL studies surrounding TADF-ECL are still extremely rare. Especially, the ECL spectra of previous reported TADF emitters are still very different from their PL spectra. In this work, we systematically measure and discuss the liquid electrochemistry and ECL behavior of two typical TADF molecules in organic medium. Most importantly, we verify for the first time that the ECL spectra of them (coreactant ECL mode) are identical to their PL spectra counterparts, which confirms the effectiveness of TADF photophysical properties in the coreactant ECL mode in practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Lijuan Chen
- Center for Advanced Analytical Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Baohua Zhang
- Center for Advanced Analytical Science, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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6
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Electrochemistry and Electrochemiluminescence of Resorufin Dye: Synergetic Reductive-Oxidation Boosted by Hydrogen Peroxide. Electrochim Acta 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2022.141432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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7
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Luo Y, Zhao B, Zhang B, Lan Y, Chen L, Zhang Y, Bao Y, Niu L. A scaffold of thermally activated delayed fluorescent polymer dots towards aqueous electrochemiluminescence and biosensing applications. Analyst 2022; 147:2442-2451. [DOI: 10.1039/d2an00352j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) polymer dots were prepared, which enables aqueous electrochemiluminescence of TADF polymer emitters and its biosensor application for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yelin Luo
- Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices c/o School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Bolin Zhao
- Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices c/o School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Baohua Zhang
- Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices c/o School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yeying Lan
- Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices c/o School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lijuan Chen
- Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices c/o School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yuwei Zhang
- Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices c/o School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yu Bao
- Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices c/o School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Li Niu
- Center for Advanced Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices c/o School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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8
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Zhang B, Kong Y, Liu H, Chen B, Zhao B, Luo Y, Chen L, Zhang Y, Han D, Zhao Z, Tang BZ, Niu L. Aggregation-induced delayed fluorescence luminogens: the innovation of purely organic emitters for aqueous electrochemiluminescence. Chem Sci 2021; 12:13283-13291. [PMID: 34777746 PMCID: PMC8528032 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc02918e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to overcoming the limitation of aggregation caused quenching (ACQ) of solid-state emitters, aggregation-induced emission (AIE) organic luminogens have become a promising candidate in aqueous electrochemiluminescence (ECL). However, restricted by the physical nature of fluorescence, current organic AIE luminogen-based ECL (AIECL) faces the bottleneck of low ECL efficiency. Here, we propose to construct de novo aqueous ECL based on aggregation-induced delayed fluorescence (AIDF) luminogens, called AIDF-ECL. Compared with the previous organic AIE luminogens, purely organic AIDF luminogens integrate the superiorities of both AIE and the utilization of dark triplets via thermal-activated spin up-conversion properties, thereby possessing the capability of close-to-unity exciton utilization for ECL. The results show that the ECL characteristics using AIDF luminogens are directly related to their AIDF properties. Compared with an AIECL control sample based on a tetraphenylethylene AIE moiety, the ECL efficiency of our AIDF-ECL model system is improved by 5.4 times, confirming the excellent effectiveness of this innovative strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baohua Zhang
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices Guangzhou 510006 P. R. China
| | - Yi Kong
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices Guangzhou 510006 P. R. China
| | - Huijun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Bin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Bolin Zhao
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices Guangzhou 510006 P. R. China
| | - Yelin Luo
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices Guangzhou 510006 P. R. China
| | - Lijuan Chen
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices Guangzhou 510006 P. R. China
| | - Yuwei Zhang
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices Guangzhou 510006 P. R. China
| | - Dongxue Han
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices Guangzhou 510006 P. R. China
| | - Zujin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Ben Zhong Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China .,Shenzhen Institute of Aggregate Science and Technology, School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Guangdong 518172 China
| | - Li Niu
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Sensing Materials & Devices Guangzhou 510006 P. R. China
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9
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Zeng Z, Huang P, Kong Y, Tong L, Zhang B, Luo Y, Chen L, Zhang Y, Han D, Niu L. Nanoencapsulation strategy: enabling electrochemiluminescence of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters in aqueous media. Chem Commun (Camb) 2021; 57:5262-5265. [PMID: 34008623 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc01705e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A nanoencapsulation strategy is introduced to a state-of-the-art thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) molecule, i.e. 4CzIPN, which ensures the achievement of air-stable, water-soluble TADF nanoparticles featuring efficient TADF property without an unsatisfactory oxygen quenching effect. Accordingly, we report here for the first time the electrochemiluminescence of TADF emitters in aqueous media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihui Zeng
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
| | - Ping Huang
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
| | - Yi Kong
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
| | - Lianpeng Tong
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
| | - Baohua Zhang
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
| | - Yelin Luo
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
| | - Lijuan Chen
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
| | - Yuwei Zhang
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
| | - Dongxue Han
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
| | - Li Niu
- Centre for Advanced Analytical Science, c/o School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China.
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