Long lifetime photoluminescence emission of 3D cadmium metal–organic frameworks based on the 5-(4-pyridyl)tetrazole ligand

Recent advances in the design of afterglow materials: mechanisms, structural regulation strategies and applications

Afterglow materials are attracting widespread attention owing to their distinctive and long-lived optical emission properties which create exciting opportunities in various fields. Recent research has led to the discovery of many new afterglow materials featuring high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQY) and lifetimes of up to several hours under ambient conditions. Afterglow materials are typically categorized according to their luminescence mechanism, such as long-persistent luminescence (LPL), room temperature phosphorescence (RTP), or thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF). Through rational design and novel synthetic strategies to modulate spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and populate triplet exciton states (T1), luminophores with long lifetimes and bright afterglow characteristics can be realized. Initial research towards afterglow materials focused mainly on pure inorganic materials, many of which possessed inherent disadvantages such as metal toxicity or low energy emissions. In recent years, organic-inorganic hybrid afterglow materials (OIHAMs) have been developed with high PLQY and long lifetimes. These hybrid materials exploit the tunable structure and easy processing of organic molecules, as well as enhanced SOC and intersystem crossing (ISC) processes involving heavy atom dopants, to achieve excellent afterglow performance. In this review, we begin by briefly discussing the structure and composition of inorganic and organic-inorganic hybrid afterglow materials, including strategies for regulating their lifetime, PLQY and luminescence wavelength. The specific advantages of organic-inorganic hybrid afterglow materials, including low manufacturing costs, diverse molecular/electronic structures, tunable structures and optical properties, and compatibility with a variety of substrates, are emphasized. Subsequently, we discuss in detail the fundamental mechanisms used by afterglow materials, their classification, design principles, and end applications (including sensing, anticounterfeiting, and photoelectric devices, among others). Finally, existing challenges and promising future directions are discussed, laying a platform for the design of afterglow materials for specific applications.

Designing Single-Ion Magnets and Phosphorescent Materials with 1-Methylimidazole-5-carboxylate and Transition-Metal Ions

Detailed structural, magnetic, and photoluminescence (PL) characterization of four new compounds based on 1-methylimidazole-5-carboxylate (mimc) ligand and transition metal ions, namely [Ni(mimc)₂(H₂O)₄] (1), [Co(μ-mimc)₂]_n (2), {[Cu₂(μ-mimc)₄(H₂O)]·2H₂O}_n (3), and [Cd(μ-mimc)₂(H₂O)]_n (4) is reported. The structural diversity found in the family of compounds derives from the coordination versatility of the ligand, which coordinates as a terminal ligand to give a supramolecular network of monomeric entities in 1 or acts as a bridging linker to build isoreticular 2D coordination polymers (CPs) in 2-4. Magnetic direct-current (dc) susceptibility data have been measured for compounds 1-3 to analyze the exchange interactions among paramagnetic centers, which have been indeed supported by calculations based on broken symmetry (BS) and density functional theory (DFT) methodology. The temperature dependence of susceptibility and magnetization data of 2 are indicative of easy-plane anisotropy (D = +12.9 cm^-1, E = +0.5 cm^-1) that involves a bistable M_s = ±1/2 ground state. Alternating-current (ac) susceptibility curves exhibit field-induced single-ion magnet (SIM) behavior that occurs below 14 K, which is characterized by two spin relaxation processes of distinct nature: fast relaxation of single ions proceeding through multiple mechanisms (U_eff = 26 K) and a slow relaxation attributed to interactions along the polymeric crystal building. Exhaustive PL analysis of compound 4 in the solid state confirms low-temperature phosphorescent green emission consisting of radiative lifetimes in the range of 0.25-0.43 s, which explains the afterglow observed during about 1 s after the removal of the UV source. Time-dependent DFT and computational calculations to estimate phosphorescent vertical transitions have been also employed to provide an accurate description of the PL performance of this long-lasting phosphor.

A Zn based coordination polymer exhibiting long-lasting phosphorescence

A coordination polymer consisting of Zn and 6-aminoisonicotinate shows an initial bright blue fluorescence that turns into persistent green phosphorescence.