Interplay between Förster and Dexter Energy Transfer Rates in Isomeric Donor-Bridge-Acceptor Systems

Enhancing Triplet-Triplet Annihilation Upconversion of Pyrene Derivatives for Photoredox Catalysis via Molecular Engineering

Triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion (TTA-UC) has the potential to enhance photoredox catalysis yield. It includes a sensitizer and an annihilator. Efficient and stable annihilators are essential for photoredox catalysis, yet only a few examples are reported. Herein, we designed four novel pyrene annihilators (1, 2, 3 and 4) via introducing aryl-alkynyl groups onto pyrene to systematically modulate their singlet and triplet energies. Coupled with platinum octaethylporphyrin (PtOEP), the TTA-UC efficiency is enhanced gradually as the number of aryl-alkynyl group increases. When combining 4 with palladium tetraphenyl-tetrabenzoporphyrin (PdTPTBP), we achieved the highest red-to-green upconversion efficiency (22.4±0.3 %) (out of a 50 % maximum) so far. Then, this pair was used to activate photooxidation of aryl boronic acid under red light (630 nm), which achieved a great improved reaction yield compared to that activated by green light directly. The results not only provide a design strategy for efficient annihilators, but also show the advantage of applying TTA-UC into improving the photoredox catalysis yield.

Deducing the conformational space for an octa-proline helix

A molecular dyad, PY-P8-PER, comprising a proline octamer sandwiched between pyrene and perylene terminals has been synthesized in order to address the dynamics of electronic energy transfer (EET) along the oligo-proline chain. A simple pyrene-based control compound equipped with a bis-proline attachment serves as a reference for spectroscopic studies. The N-H NMR signal at the terminal pyrene allows distinction between cis and trans amides and, although the crystal structure for the control has the trans conformation, temperature-dependent NMR studies provide clear evidence for trans/cis isomerisation in D6-DMSO. Polar solvents tend to stabilise the trans structure for the pyrene amide group, even for longer oligo-proline units. Circular dichroism shows that the proline spacer for PY-P8-PER exists mainly in the all-trans geometry in methanol. Preferential excitation of the pyrene chromophore is possible at wavelengths in the 320-350 nm range and, for the dyad, is followed by efficacious EET to the perylene emitter. The probability for intramolecular EET, obtained from analysis of steady-state spectroscopic data, is ca. 80-90% in solvents of disparate polarity. Comparison with the Förster critical distance suggests the terminals are ca. 18 Å apart. Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, in conjunction with DFT calculations, indicates the dyad exists as a handful of conformers displaying a narrow range of EET rates. Optimisation of a distributive model allows accurate simulation of the EET dynamics in terms of reasonable structures based on isomerisation of certain amide groups.

Phosphorescence resonance energy transfer from purely organic supramolecular assembly

Phosphorescence energy transfer systems have been applied in encryption, biomedical imaging and chemical sensing. These systems exhibit ultra-large Stokes shifts, high quantum yields and are colour-tuneable with long-wavelength afterglow fluorescence (particularly in the near-infrared) under ambient conditions. This review discusses triplet-to-singlet PRET or triplet-to-singlet-to-singlet cascaded PRET systems based on macrocyclic or assembly-confined purely organic phosphorescence introducing the critical toles of supramolecular noncovalent interactions in the process. These interactions promote intersystem crossing, restricting the motion of phosphors, minimizing non-radiative decay and organizing donor-acceptor pairs in close proximity. We discuss the applications of these systems and focus on the challenges ahead in facilitating their further development.

Advances in Solution-Processed OLEDs and their Prospects for Use in Displays

This review outlines problems and progress in development of solution-processed organic light-emitting diodes (SOLEDs) in industry and academia. Solution processing has several advantages such as low consumption of materials, low-cost processing, and large-area manufacturing. However, use of a solution process entails complications, such as the need for solvent resistivity and solution-processable materials, and yields SOLEDs that have limited luminous efficiency, severe roll-off characteristics, and short lifetime compared to OLEDs fabricated using thermal evaporation. These demerits impede production of practical SOLED displays. This review outlines the industrial demands for commercial SOLEDs and the current status of SOLED development in industries and academia, and presents research guidelines for the development of SOLEDs that have high efficiency, long lifetime, and good processability to achieve commercialization.

Kinetic Analysis of the Photochemical Paths in Asymmetric Diarylethene Dimer

An asymmetric diarylethene dimer composed of 2- and 3-thienylethene units linked by m-phenylene developed various colors upon UV irradiation via an independent photochromic reaction on each unit. The change in contents and the other photoresponses of the photogenerated four isomers were analyzed using quantum yield for all the possible photochemical paths, i. e., photoisomerization, fluorescence, energy transfer, and the other non-radiative paths. Almost all the rate constants of photochemical paths were calculated using measurable quantum yields and lifetimes. It was found that a significant contribution on photoresponse was the competition between photoisomerization and intramolecular energy transfer. The clear difference was observed in the photoresponses of the dimer and the 1 : 1 mixture solution of the model compounds. The m-phenylene spacer appropriately regulated the rate of energy transfer in the asymmetric dimer, and the spacer enabled isolation of the excited state of the dimer, making the above quantitative analysis possible.

Forthcoming hyperfluorescence display technology: relevant factors to achieve high-performance stable organic light emitting diodes

Over the decade, there have been developments in purely organic thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) materials for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). However, achieving narrow full width at half maximum (FWHM) and high external quantum efficiency (EQE) is crucial for real display industries. To overcome these hurdles, hyperfluorescence (HF) technology was proposed for next-generation OLEDs. In this technology, the TADF material was considered a sensitizing host, the so-called TADF sensitized host (TSH), for use of triplet excitons via the reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) pathway. Since most of the TADF materials show bipolar characteristics, electrically generated singlet and triplet exciton energies can be transported to the final fluorescent emitter (FE) through Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) rather than Dexter energy transfer (DET). This mechanism is possible from the S₁ state of the TSH to the S₁ state of the final fluorescent dopant (FD) as a long-range energy transfer. Considering this, some reports are available based on hyperfluorescence OLEDs, but the detailed analysis for highly efficient and stable devices for commercialization was unclear. So herein, we reviewed the relevant factors based on recent advancements to build a highly efficient and stable hyperfluorescence system. The factors include an energy transfer mechanism based on spectral overlapping, TSH requirements, electroluminescence study based on exciplex and polarity system, shielding effect, DET suppression, and FD orientation. Furthermore, the outlook and future positives with new directions were discussed to build high-performance OLEDs.

Efficient pure blue hyperfluorescence devices utilizing quadrupolar donor-acceptor-donor type of thermally activated delayed fluorescence sensitizers

The hyperfluorescence (HF) system has drawn great attention in display technology. However, the energy loss mechanism by low reverse intersystem crossing rate (kRISC) and the Dexter energy transfer (DET) channel is still challenging. Here, we demonstrate that this can be mitigated by the quadrupolar donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) type of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) sensitizer materials, DBA-DmICz and DBA-DTMCz. Further, the HF device with DBA-DTMCz and ν-DABNA exhibited 43.9% of high maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) with the Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage coordinates of (0.12, 0.16). The efficiency values recorded for the device are among the highest reported for HF devices. Such high efficiency is assisted by hindered DET process through i) high kRISC, and ii) shielded lowest unoccupied molecular orbital with the presence of two donors in D-A-D type of skeleton. Our current study provides an effective way of designing TADF sensitizer for future HF technology.

Single-molecule nano-optoelectronics: insights from physics

Single-molecule optoelectronic devices promise a potential solution for miniaturization and functionalization of silicon-based microelectronic circuits in the future. For decades of its fast development, this field has made significant progress in the synthesis of optoelectronic materials, the fabrication of single-molecule devices and the realization of optoelectronic functions. On the other hand, single-molecule optoelectronic devices offer a reliable platform to investigate the intrinsic physical phenomena and regulation rules of matters at the single-molecule level. To further realize and regulate the optoelectronic functions toward practical applications, it is necessary to clarify the intrinsic physical mechanisms of single-molecule optoelectronic nanodevices. Here, we provide a timely review to survey the physical phenomena and laws involved in single-molecule optoelectronic materials and devices, including charge effects, spin effects, exciton effects, vibronic effects, structural and orbital effects. In particular, we will systematically summarize the basics of molecular optoelectronic materials, and the physical effects and manipulations of single-molecule optoelectronic nanodevices. In addition, fundamentals of single-molecule electronics, which are basic of single-molecule optoelectronics, can also be found in this review. At last, we tend to focus the discussion on the opportunities and challenges arising in the field of single-molecule optoelectronics, and propose further potential breakthroughs.

Modulating TTA efficiency through control of high energy triplet states

An ideal annihilator in triplet-triplet annihilation photon upconversion (TTA-UC) can achieve a maximum of 50% quantum efficiency. This spin statistical limit depends on the energies of the triplet states of the annihilator molecule, with only 20% quantum efficiencies possible in less-optimal energy configurations (E T2 ≤ 2E T1 ). Our work utilises three perylene analogues substituted with phenyl in sequential positions. When substituted in the bay position the isomer displays drastically lowered upconversion yields, which can be explained by the system going from an ideal to less-ideal energy configuration. We further concluded position 2 is the best site when functionalising perylene without a wish to affect its photophysics, thus demonstrating how molecular design can influence upconversion quantum efficiencies by controlling the energetics of triplet states through substitution. This will in turn help in the design of molecules that maximise upconversion efficiencies for materials applications.