Robust two-color physically unclonable patterns from controlled aggregation of a single organic luminophore.

This research presents a new approach to create two-color luminescent physically unclonable functions (PUFs) using an organic luminophore with tunable emission colors. These PUFs offer high security and stable performance, significantly enhancing anti-counterfeiting capabilities by exponentially increasing encoding capacity through dual-color integration and complex pattern formation.

Anion-π Interaction in a Diketopyrrolopyrrole Derivative.

In this work, an N-substituted diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) derivative Ph-DPP was synthesized, showing interaction toward Lewis alkaline anions such as F. The typical electron-transfer-dominated anion-π interaction product Ph-DPP and unexpected isomer product i-Ph-DPP were both observed, and their formation mechanism was studied by density functional theory calculations, suggesting that a deprotonation initiation route is favored, which gives interesting insight for understanding the debatable role of F in such non-covalent intermolecular interactions.

Triarylboron-Based High Photosensitive Probes for Apoptosis Detection, Tumor-Targeted Imaging, and Selectively Inducing Apoptosis of Tumor Cells by Photodynamics.

Herein, a series of triarylboron-based fluorescent probes were developed for distinguishing apoptosis from living cells and even necrosis. They also demonstrate high photosensitivity because they can produce detectable reactive oxygen species (ROS) under an ultra-low light power density (1.5 mW/cm).

Ratiometric dual fluorescence tridurylboron thermometers with tunable measurement ranges and colors.

Noncontact ratiometric fluorescent thermometers have received great interests in recent years. Besides being a sensitive and easily observable detection signal, the ratiometric dual fluorescence are also highly accurate and resistable to interference. However, organic molecular thermometers with such fluorescence property are very rare, and their measurement ranges and colors are limited.

Insights into the Luminescence Thermochromism of a Triarylboron Derivative: The Role of Intramolecular Group Interaction.

The organic fluorescent probes for temperature have received increasing interest due to their extremely high spatial and temporal resolution. A few of triarylboron derivatives, as almost the only molecular probes consisting of a single luminophore, have the ability to change their luminescent color at different temperatures. The mechanism of their luminescence thermochromism is controversial.

Ultrasensitive reversible chromophore reaction of BODIPY functions as high ratio double turn on probe.

Chromophore reactions with changes to conjugation degree, especially those between the conjugated and unconjugated state, will bring a large spectral variation. To realize such a process, a meso-naked BODIPY (MNBOD) with two electron-withdrawing groups around the core is designed and synthesized. The resulting system is extremely sensitive to bases.

High-speed near-field photolithography at 16.85 nm linewidth with linearly polarized illumination.

Plasmonic focusing was investigated in concentric rings with a central pillar under linearly polarized illumination with a specific incident angle. When changing the incident angle of linearly polarized beam between 6 and 15 degree away from the normal direction, the focal spot size can keep a steady value of 37 nm, smaller than the focal spot with the radially polarized beam at the same excited condition, 45 nm. Combining this with the high-speed near-field photolithography technology, we demonstrated a plasmonic lithography with 16.

Poly(naphthalene diimide) vinylene: solid state red emission and semiconducting properties for transistors.

In this work, a conjugated polymer PNV is developed, linking naphthalene diimide with a vinyl linkage. Owing to the C-HO hydrogen bond between the carbonyl and the vinyl, PNV exhibits a high red emission with a quantum yield of 33.4% in the solid state while it shows n-type properties with an electron mobility up to 1.

Thermally populated "bright" states for wide-range and high temperature sensing in air.

A series of air-stable triarylphosphine oxide-based thermosensitive ratiometric sensors based on local excited (LE) and charge transfer (CT) emissions have been designed and synthesized. The fluorescence intensity of tri(pyren-1-yl)phosphine oxide exhibits a prominent temperature-dependent feature over a wide temperature range due to thermally populated emissive LE states. The wide ratiometric temperature sensing range and high stability/reversibility in an ambient atmosphere indicate their great potentials in facile and practical applications.

Axially substituted phthalocyanine/naphthalocyanine doped in glass matrix: an approach to the practical use for optical limiting material.

A novel glass matrix doped with phthalocyanine or naphthalocyanine is prepared by a modified sol-gel technique. The photophysical and optical limiting properties of the phthalocyanine compounds both in glass matrix and in THF solution were investigated. The obtained glass matrix is homogeneous and transparent, as well as mechanically and thermodynamically stable enough to withstand very high laser fluence; the optical limiting performances of these compound samples are better than that of benchmark materials like C in toluene, carbon black in water, and graphene oxide in water or ethanol under nanosecond pulsed laser at 532 nm.

The steady flying of a plasmonic flying head over a photoresist-coated surface in a near-field photolithography system.

The near-field photolithography technique (NFPT) offers a new approach of nanolithography for a dramatic increase in the resolution with high throughput and low cost. The NFPT utilizes the same flight principle as that of the magnetic head of hard-disk drives but replacing the magnetic head with a plasmonic flying head. The plasmonic flying head, which can focus the incident laser beam to a spot size of sub-20 nm with an enhanced field intensity by exciting surface plasmon polaritons, takes off and then flies steadily above the revolving disk coated by a photoresist film to be patterned with a narrow gap of tens of nanometers.

Molecular Engineering of Aqueous Soluble Triarylboron-Compound-Based Two-Photon Fluorescent Probe for Mitochondria H2S with Analyte-Induced Finite Aggregation and Excellent Membrane Permeability.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a multifunctional signaling molecule that participates in many important biological processes. Herein, by functionalizing triarylboron with cyclen and diphenylamine, we synthesized TAB-1, TAB-2, and TAB-3 for H2S recongnization by rational design of molecular structures. Among them, aqueous soluble TAB-2 possesses excellent properties, including large two-photon action cross section, membrane permeability and can effectively complex with Cu(2+).

In vivo observation of the pH alternation in mitochondria for various external stimuli.

The pH of mitochondria (pHm) has a close relationship with many biological processes. Here we developed a new indicator Mito-pH-1 for the ratiometric fluorescence detection of the mitochondria pH value, which has excellent tolerance to environmental change. And Mito-pH-1 has been used for the first time to monitor the change of pHm under temperature and H2O2 stimuli in living cells.

Intramolecular aggregation and optical limiting properties of triazine-linked mono-, bis- and tris-phthalocyanines.

A series of triazine-linked mono-, bis- and tris-phthalocyanines are synthesized, intramolecular aggregation is found in bis- and tris-phthalocyanines via π-π stacking interaction. Theoretical and experimental studies reveal the formation of the intramolecular aggregation. The spectrographic, photophysical and nonlinear optical properties of these compounds are adjusted for the formation of the intramolecular aggregation.

Sensing for intracellular thiols by water-insoluble two-photon fluorescent probe incorporating nanogel.

A novel "turn-on" two-photon fluorescent probe containing a π-conjugated triarylboron luminogen and a maleimide moiety DMDP-M based on the photo-induced electron transfer (PET) mechanism for biothiol detection was designed and synthesized. By simply loading the hydrophobic DMDP-M on a cross-linked Pluronic(®) F127 nanogel (CL-F127), a probing system DMDP-M/CL-F127 was established, which shows quick response, high selectivity and sensitivity to cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy) and glutathione (GSH) in aqueous phase. The DMDP-M/CL-F127 system presented the fastest response to Cys with a rate constant of 0.

Intracellular fluorescent temperature probe based on triarylboron substituted poly N-isopropylacrylamide and energy transfer.

A novel hydrophilic fluorescence temperature probe (PNDP) based on polarity-sensitive triarylboron compound (DPTB) and PNIPAM is designed and synthesized. In order to overcome the shortcomings of the single-intensity-based sensing mechanism and obtain more robust signals, ratiometric readout is achieved by designing an efficient FRET system (PNDP-NR) between DPTB and Nile Red (NR). PNDP-NR possesses some excellent features, including wide temperature range, good linear relationship, high temperature resolution, excellent reversibility, and stability.

The effect of amphiphilic polymers on the association, morphology and photophysical properties of hypocrellin coordination polymer/fullerene assemblies.

The yttrium coordination polymer of pyrene modified hypocrellin A (Y(3+)-PyrHA) is synthesized and characterized. The methoxydiglycol malonate modified fullerene can be included in the cavity of Y(3+)-PyrHA in organic solution and buffer solution containing amphiphilic polymers, such as polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), pluronic F127 and P123. The interaction between an amphiphilic polymer and Y(3+)-PyrHA plays an important role in controlling the size and morphology of Y(3+)-PyrHA/fullerene.

A novel nanogel-based fluorescent probe for ratiometric detection of intracellular pH values.

A new nanogel indicator (NGI) for ratiometric fluorescent detection of intracellular pH values has been reported. In aqueous solution, the NGI can be used for ratiometric sensing of pH changes with a large hypsochromic shift of 100 nm in the green-red region and reversible. Furthermore, the NGI has been used to calibrate the cytosol pH value in living cells.

Water-soluble triarylboron compound for ATP imaging in vivo using analyte-induced finite aggregation.

Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) is a multifunctional molecule that participates in many important biological processes. Currently, fluorescence indicators for ATP with high performance are in demand. Reported herein is a novel water-soluble triarylboron compound which displays an apparent ATP-dependent fluorescence enhancement when dispersed in water.

Two photon absorption energy transfer in the light-harvesting complex of photosystem II (LHC-II) modified with organic boron dye.

The plant light-harvesting complexes of photosystem II (LHC-II) play important roles in collecting solar energy and transferring the energy to the reaction centers of photosystems I and II. A two photon absorption compound, 4-(bromomethyl)-N-(4-(dimesitylboryl)phenyl)-N-phenylaniline (DMDP-CH2Br), was synthesized and covalently linked to the LHC-II in formation of a LHC-II-dye complex, which still maintained the biological activity of LHC-II system. Under irradiation with femtosecond laser pulses at 754 nm, the LHC-II-dye complex can absorb two photons of the laser light effectively compared with the wild type LHC-II.

A triarylboron-based fluorescent temperature indicator: sensitive both in solid polymers and in liquid solvents.

A novel triarylboron compound, MPB, exhibiting reversible thermochromic dual-fluorescence in solid-state polymers and in liquid solvents was designed and synthesized. The fluorescent solid-state polymer with MPB can serve as a highly sensitive self-reference temperature indicator with a concentration independent feature.

Locked planarity: a strategy for tailoring ladder-type π-conjugated anilido-pyridine boron difluorides.

A novel series of syn- and anti-ladder-type anilido-pyridine boron difluorides (APBDs) were synthesized by stepwise incorporation of boron into laddered ligands. The boron coordination-locked strategy endows the ladder-type APBDs with a stiff conformation, which results in a substantial bathochromic shift of their absorption spectra and a narrowed HOMO-LUMO energy gap, reinforcing the compounds for potential applications in organic electronics.

Sensing in 15 s for aqueous fluoride anion by water-insoluble fluorescent probe incorporating hydrogel.

Anion recognition and sensing via artificial receptors have attracted a great deal of attention since they play a fundamental and important role in chemical, biological, medical, and environmental processes. Fluoride, as one of the smallest anions, is of particular interest because of its role in dental care and the analysis of drinking water. Herein, we invented a new method for F(-) detection by adopting the hydrogel as the supporter of reaction between a water insoluble fluorescent probe and F(-) in the water environment.

Third-order nonlinear optical properties of a series of porphyrin-appended europium(III) bis(phthalocyaninato) complexes.

The third-order nonlinear optical properties of a series of phthalocyanine-porphyrin complexes containing a sandwich-type bis(phthalocyaninato) europium(III) core and one or two zinc(II) porphyrin unit(s) were investigated by Z-scan techniques at 1064 nm. The second-order molecular hyperpolarizabilities of these complexes are in the order of 10(-30) esu. The enhanced nonlinear properties are induced by the high delocalization of the electrons in the sandwich molecular structure, which may result in charge transfer between the central metal and the phthalocyanine ligands.

Synthesis and photophysical properties of a supramolecular host-guest assembly constructed by fullerenes and tryptamine modified hypocrellin.

The metal coordination polymer of hypocrellin A bearing tryptamine motif (M-DTrpHA) can include fullerene via a two-point interaction, involving π-π stacking and electron donor-acceptor interaction. The 1:1 host-guest system M-DTrpHA/fullerene exhibits a moderate association constant K(a) (6.62 × 10(4) to 6.