Unimolecular Photopolymerization of High-Emissive Materials on Cylindrical Self-Assemblies

Rational Design of Diphenyldiacetylene-Based Fluorescent Materials Enabling a 365-nm Light-Initiated Topochemical Polymerization

Photopolymerization of diacetylenes usually requires stringent reaction conditions like high energy irradiation of 254-nm light or even γ-rays, which are generally harmful to the human body and thus mild conditions with lower energy irradiation are required. In this study, different diphenyldiacetylene (DPDA) derivatives were rationally designed followed by the investigation of their photopolymerization behavior. It was found that the para-substituted amino groups could render the absorption band of DPDA bathochromically shifted, ensuring a 365-nm light wavelength coverage. On this basis, an organogel system was constructed by chemically modifying cholesteryl and lipoic acid onto the DPDA moiety in aromatic solvents. Such uniform self-assemblies further facilitated to a rather high degree of polymerization by 365-nm irradiation. As a kind of fluorescent materials, the whole polymerization process of this system can be visualized by a photoluminescent signal.

Visualizing Material Processing via Photoexcitation-Controlled Organic-Phase Aggregation-Induced Emission

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) has been much employed for visualizing material aggregation and self-assembly. However, water is generally required for the preparation of the AIE aggregates, the operation of which limits numerous material processing behaviors. Employing hexathiobenzene-based small molecules, monopolymers, and block copolymers as different material prototypes, we herein achieve AIE in pure organic phases by applying a nonequilibrium strategy, photoexcitation-controlled aggregation. This strategy enabled a dynamic change of molecular conformation rather than chemical structure upon irradiation, leading to a continuous aggregation-dependent luminescent enhancement (up to ~200-fold increase of the luminescent quantum yield) in organic solvents. Accompanied by the materialization of the nonequilibrium strategy, photoconvertible self-assemblies with a steady-state characteristic can be achieved upon organic solvent processing. The visual monitoring with the luminescence change covered the whole solution-to-film transition, as well as the in situ photoprocessing of the solid-state materials.

Molecular stacking dependent phosphorescence-fluorescence dual emission in a single luminophore for self-recoverable mechanoconversion of multicolor luminescence

A self-recoverable mechanoconversion of multicolor luminescence was observed by crystallization-induced self-assembly. Such a self-assembly led to the formation of nanorods with different molecular stacking modes, thus making the phosphorescence/fluorescence proportion alterable. Therefore, multicolor luminescence of the single luminophore can be achieved by a straightforward reversible mechanical stimulus.

Topochemical polymerization of dumbbell-shaped diacetylene monomers: relationship between chemical structure, molecular packing structure, and gelation property

Herein, we have synthesized novel photopolymerizable dumbbell-shaped diacetylene liquid crystal (LC) monomers by locating a diacetylene dicarboxylic acid group at the center and chemically connecting swallow-tails, such as hydrophobic alkyl chains (abbreviated as AT₃DI) and amphiphilic biphenyl mesogens (abbreviated as BP₃DI), with bisamide groups. Major phase transitions of dumbbell-shaped diacetylene monomers were identified using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscopy (POM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT IR). Molecular packing structures were studied based on structure-sensitive wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analyses. Mainly, due to nanophase separations and strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding, AT₃DI formed a low-ordered lamellar LC phase at room temperature. BP₃DI self-assembled into highly-ordered crystal phases (K₁ and K₂) at lower temperatures below a low-ordered lamellar LC phase, in which BP₃DI were intercalated with each other to compensate the mutual volume differences. From the photopolymerization of AT₃DI and BP₃DI, it was realized that the topochemical reactions of dumbbell-shaped diacetylene monomers were closely related to their chemical structures as well as molecular packing structures.

Helical Self-Assembly-Induced Singlet-Triplet Emissive Switching in a Mechanically Sensitive System

In nanoscience, chirality has shown a significant ability to tune materials' electronic properties, whereas imposing macrochirality into the regulation of singlet-triplet features of organic optoelectronics remains a challenging research topic. Since the tuning for singlet and triplet excited-state properties in a single π-functional molecule connects to its multicolor luminescent application and potential improvement of internal quantum efficiency, we here report that supramolecular chirality can be employed to toggle the singlet and triplet emissions in a well-designed asterisk-shaped molecule. Employing a hexathiobenzene-based single luminophore as a prototype and functionalizing it with chiral α-lipoiate side groups, we find that helical nanoarchitectures can accordingly form in mixed DMF/H₂O solution. On this basis, switching between fluorescence and phosphorescence of the material can be realized upon helical self-assembly and dissociation. Such a behavior can be attributed to a helical-conformation-dependent manipulation of the intersystem crossing. Furthermore, reversible mechanoluminescence of the corresponding solid sample was also observed to rely on an analogous molecular self-assembly alternation. These results can probably provide new visions for the development of next-generation supramolecular chiral functional materials.

Photochemical Isomerization and Topochemical Polymerization of the Programmed Asymmetric Amphiphiles

For the advancement in multi-stimuli responsive optical devices, we report the elaborate molecular engineering of the dual photo-functionalized amphiphile (abbreviated as AZ₁DA) containing both a photo-isomerizable azobenzene and a photo-polymerizable diacetylene. To achieve the efficient photochemical reactions in thin solid films, the self-assembly of AZ₁DA molecules into the ordered phases should be precisely controlled and efficiently utilized. First, the remote-controllable light shutter is successfully demonstrated based on the reversible trans-cis photo-isomerization of azobenzene group in the smectic A mesophase. Second, the self-organized monoclinic crystal phase allows us to validate the photo-polymerization of diacetylene moiety for the photo-patterned thin films and the thermo-responsible color switches. From the demonstrations of optically tunable thin films, it is realized that the construction of strong relationships between chemical structures, molecular packing structures and physical properties of the programmed molecules is the core research for the development of smart and multifunctional soft materials.

Sequential oligodiacetylene formation for progressive luminescent color conversion via co-micellar strategy

This work takes advantage of a diphenyl-diacetylene-based co-micellar nano-ensemble that can undergo a sequential photocrosslinking to form a corresponding trimeric oligodiacetylene and a dimeric oligodiacetylene.

Design and construction of organic systems that can enhance internal quantum efficiency to fully make use of radiative decay during the excitation process is highly desirable for the development of new-generation emissive materials. In practice, to employ those materials with an effective tuning of triplet-state involved multicolor luminescence is quite a considerable issue. This work takes advantage of a diphenyl-diacetylene-based co-micellar nano-ensemble that can undergo a sequential photocrosslinking to form a corresponding trimeric oligodiacetylene and a dimeric oligodiacetylene. Their emissive bands individually cover the visible-light spectral region and such a controllable dual band characteristic can result in a progressive luminescent color conversion from light-green to white and finally to purplish blue. In addition, the oligodiacetylenes possess an ultrafast intersystem crossing characteristic with a small S₁–T₁ energy gap. The leading thermally activated delayed fluorescence and phosphorescence can be employed to achieve long-life broadband emissions without chromatic aberration in this single organic system, towards the creation of emitting materials with high quantum efficiency. The synthesis of the sub-components is simple and the co-micellar strategy is extremely straightforward. Such a material design and approach may find potential uses in the microfabrication of novel organic light-emitting diodes and sophisticated controllable optoelectronic devices.