Structural Engineering of Red Luminogens to Realize High Emission Efficiency through ACQ-to-AIE Transformation.

Deep red/near-infrared (NIR, >650 nm) emissive organic luminophores with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) behaviours have emerged as promising candidates for applications in optoelectronic devices and biological fields. However, the molecular design philosophy for AIE luminogens (AIEgens) with narrow band gaps are rarely explored. Herein, we rationally designed two red organic luminophores, FITPA and FIMPA, by considering the enlargement of transition dipole moment in the charge-transfer state and the transformation from aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) to AIE.

Visualizing Assembly Dynamics of All-Liquid 3D Architectures.

To better exploit all-liquid 3D architectures, it is essential to understand dynamic processes that occur during printing one liquid in a second immiscible liquid. Here, the interfacial assembly and transition of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin (H TPPS) over time provides an opportunity to monitor the interfacial behavior of nanoparticle surfactants (NPSs) during all-liquid printing. The formation of J-aggregates of H TPPS at the interface and the interfacial conversion of the J-aggregates of H TPPS to H-aggregates of H TPPS is demonstrated by interfacial rheology and in situ atomic force microscopy.

Continuous, autonomous subsurface cargo shuttling by nature-inspired meniscus-climbing systems.

Water-walking insects can harness capillary forces by changing their body posture to climb or descend the meniscus between the surface of water and a solid object. Controlling surface tension in this manner is necessary for predation, escape and survival. Inspired by this behaviour, we demonstrate autonomous, aqueous-based synthetic systems that overcome the meniscus barrier and shuttle cargo subsurface to and from a landing site and a targeted drop-off site.

Visualizing Interfacial Jamming Using an Aggregation-Induced-Emission Molecular Reporter.

With the interfacial jamming of nanoparticles (NPs), a load-bearing network of NPs forms as the areal density of NPs increases, converting the assembly from a liquid-like into a solid-like assembly. Unlike vitrification, the lineal packing of the NPs in the network is denser, while the remaining NPs can remain in a liquid-like state. It is a challenge to determine the point at which the assemblies jam, since both jamming and vitrification lead to a solid-like behavior of the assemblies.

Naphthalimide-Based Hydrazone Derivatives: Synthesis, Mechanochromism in the Solid State and Response to Ions in Dilute Solutions.

Molecules showing mechanochromic luminescence (MCL) are promising for use in the in the fields of sensing and probes. We report the design and synthesis of new naphthalimide-based hydrazone derivatives, NI-TPE and NI-3BA. Both the luminogens are weakly emissive with Φ =0.

Conductive Thin Films over Large Areas by Supramolecular Self-Assembly.

We report a "one-step" method for preparing conductive thin films with cylindrical microdomains oriented normal to the surface over large areas using the supramolecular assembly of poly(styrene--4-vinylpyridine) (PS--P4VP) and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-21,23-porphine (HOTPP). HOTPP interacts with the P4VP block by hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl group of HOTPP and pyridine ring of PS--P4VP, forming cylindrical P4VP(HOTPP) domains having an average diameter of ∼17 nm in a PS matrix. Dynamic light scattering, contact angle, and grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering measurements show a morphological transition from spherical micelles in solution to cylindrical microdomains oriented normal to the substrate surface during the drying process.

Surfactant-Induced Interfacial Aggregation of Porphyrins for Structuring Color-Tunable Liquids.

Locking nonequilibrium shapes of liquids into targeted architectures by interfacial jamming of nanoparticles is an emerging area in material science. 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin (H TPPS) shows three different aggregation states that present an absorption imaging platform to monitor the assembly and jamming of supramolecular polymer surfactants (SPSs) at the liquid/liquid interface. The interfacial interconversion of H TPPS, specifically H TPPS dissolved in water, from J- to an H-aggregation was induced by strong electrostatic interactions with amine-terminated polystyrene dissolved in toluene at the water/toluene interface.

Stabilizing Liquids Using Interfacial Supramolecular Polymerization.

The strong electrostatic interactions at the oil-water interface between a small molecule, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin, H TPPS, dissolved in water, and an amine terminated hydrophobic polymer dissolved in oil are shown to produce a supramolecular polymer surfactant (SPS) of H TPPS at the interface with a binding energy that is sufficiently strong to allow an intermolecular aggregation of the supramolecular polymers. SPSs at the oil-water interface are confirmed by in situ real-space atomic force microcopy imaging. The assemblies of these aggregates can jam at the interface, opening a novel route to kinetically trap the liquids in non-equilibrium shapes.

Synthesis, Physical Properties and Memory Device Application of a Twelve-Ring Fused Twistheteroacene.

Developing new organic conjugated materials for high density memory devices is highly desirable. In this research, a novel donor-acceptor-type twelve-ring fused twistheteroacene, 2,7,19,24-tetra-tert-butyl-13,30-didodecyl-9,17,26,34-tetraphenyl benzo[8',9']triphenyleno[2',3':7,8]dibenzo[b,e][1,4]dioxino[1,2,3,4-lmn]dibenzo[6',7':10',11']tetraceno[2',3':5,6][1,4]dioxino[2,3-f][3,8]phenanthroline-12,14,29,31(13H,30H)-tetraone (DPyN) has been synthesized and characterized. It displays high thermal stability, possesses a broad absorption band centered at 510 and 538 nm, and emits red fluorescence in organic solvents.

Azaacenes as active elements for sensing and bio applications.

Since azaacenes have electron-deficient backbones and lone-pair electrons on nitrogen centers, they can efficiently detect the target molecules or ions through supramolecular interactions such as anion-π attractions and coordinate bonding. These special features make azaacenes very designable for various sensors, which can be further used in the bio field. In this review, we will summarize the recent progress in the applications of azaacenes in sensing and bio fields.

An Azaacene Derivative as Promising Electron-Transport Layer for Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

It is highly desirable to develop novel n-type organic small molecules as an efficient electron-transport layer (ETL) for the replacement of PCBM to obtain high-performance metal-oxide-free, solution-processed inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) because this type of solar cells with a low-temperature and solution-based process would make their fabrication more feasible and practical. In this research, the new azaacene QCAPZ has been synthesized and employed as non-fullerene ETL material for inverted PSCs through a solution-based process without the need for additional dopants or additives. The as-fabricated inverted PSCs show a power conversion efficiency up to 10.

Nanostructured Conjugated Polymers for Energy-Related Applications beyond Solar Cells.

To meet the ever-increasing requirements for the next generation of sustainable and versatile energy-related devices, conjugated polymers, which have potential advantages over small molecules and inorganic materials, are among the most promising types of green candidates. The properties of conjugated polymers can be tuned through modification of the structure and incorporation of different functional moieties. In addition, superior performances can be achieved as a result of the advantages of nanostructures, such as their large surface areas and the shortened pathways for charge transfer.

Improving the Performance of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries by Employing Polyimide Particles as Hosting Matrixes.

Sulfur cathodes with four polyimide (PI) compounds as hosting matrixes have been prepared through a simple one-step approach. These four PIs-S composites exhibited higher sulfur utilization and better cycling stability than pure sulfur. At a current rate of 300 mA g(-1), the initial discharge capacities of PI-1S, PI-2S, PI-3S, and BBLS reached 1120, 1100, 1150, and 1040 mAh g(-1), respectively.

Synthesis, physical properties, and light-emitting diode performance of phenazine-based derivatives with three, five, and nine fused six-membered rings.

Realizing the control of emission colors of single molecules is very important in the development of full-color emitting materials. Herein, three novel phenazine derivatives (2,3,7,8-tetrakis(decyloxy)phenazine (2a), 2,3-didecyloxy-5,14-diaza-7,12-dioxo-9,10- dicyanopentacene (2b), and 2,3,13,14-tetradecyloxy-5,11,16,22-tetraaza-7,9,18,20-tetraoxo-8,19-dicyanoenneacene (2c)) have been successfully synthesized and fully characterized. Compound 2c can emit blue light in toluene solution (450 nm), green light in the powder/film state (502/562 nm), and red light in the 2c/TFA state (610 nm).

1,5,9-Triaza-2,6,10-triphenylboracoronene: BN-embedded analogue of coronene.

A novel BN-fused coronene derivative 1,5,9-triaza-2,6,10-triphenylboracoronene (1) has been successfully synthesized in one step from 2,3,6,7,9,10-hexamethoxy-1,5,9-triamino-triphenylene. Compound 1 has been investigated using photophysical, electrochemical, and molecular simulation methods. Interestingly, three phenyl groups at B centers in compound 1 can be replaced by hydroxyl units stepwise through hydroxylation in wet organic solvents, leading to changes in the packing and physical properties.

Synthesis, characterization, and nonvolatile ternary memory behavior of a larger heteroacene with nine linearly fused rings and two different heteroatoms.

To achieve ultrahigh density memory devices with the capacity of 3(n) or larger, organic materials with multilevel stable states are highly desirable. Here, we reported a novel larger stable heteroacene, 2,3,13,14-tetradecyloxy-5,11,16,22-tetraaza-6,10,17,21-tetrachloro-7,9,18,20-tetraoxa-8,19-dicyanoenneacene (CDPzN), which has two different types of heteroatoms (O and N) and nine linearly fused rings. The sandwich-structure memory devices based on CDPzN exhibited excellent ternary memory behaviors with high ON2/ON1/OFF current ratios of 10(6.

A new V-shaped organic fluorescent compound integrated with crystallization-induced emission enhancement and intramolecular charge transfer.

The emission behavior of a new V-shaped organic fluorescent compound (p,p′-bis(2-aryl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)diphenyl sulfone (OZA-SO)), consisting of diethylamino (donor) and sulfone (acceptor) units, has been studied in various polar solvents and with different morphologies. As expected, there is the gradual transition from the locally excited state to the intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) state with the increasing solvent polarity. The photoluminescence intensity of OZA-SO initially decreases with a low water fraction (f(w)), owing to ICT effect, and then increases with a high f(w), owing to crystallization-induced emission enhancement.

Initiator-lightened polymers: preparation of end-functionalized polymers by ATRP and their intramolecular charge transfer and aggregation-induced emission.

A simple strategy to prepare AIE polymers is invented using an AIE initiator for atom transfer radical polymerization. The dual photoresponse by intramolecular charge-transfer and luminogen aggregation of the initiator is well-realized and even enlarged after polymerization, due to the linkage of polymer chains.