Twofold rigidity activates ultralong organic high-temperature phosphorescence

• Published in: Nature communications 2024-02, Vol.15 (1), p.1269-1269, Article 1269
• Main Authors: Chen, Kaijun, Zhang, Yongfeng, Lei, Yunxiang, Dai, Wenbo, Liu, Miaochang, Cai, Zhengxu, Wu, Huayue, Huang, Xiaobo, Ma, Xiang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/301/923/1028; 639/638/298/923/1028; 639/638/440/948; Afterglows; Heat resistance; High temperature; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Organic materials; Phosphorescence; Polymers; Rigidity; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Temperature
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45678-1

A strategy is pioneered for achieving high-temperature phosphorescence using planar rigid molecules as guests and rigid polymers as host matrix. The planar rigid configuration can resist the thermal vibration of the guest at high temperatures, and the rigidity of the matrix further enhances the high-temperature resistance of the guest. The doped materials exhibit an afterglow of 40 s at 293 K, 20 s at 373 K, 6 s at 413 K, and a 1 s afterglow at 433 K. The experimental results indicate that as the rotational ability of the groups connected to the guests gradually increases, the high-temperature phosphorescence performance of the doped materials gradually decreases. In addition, utilizing the property of doped materials that can emit phosphorescence at high temperatures and in high smoke, the attempt is made to use organic phosphorescence materials to identify rescue workers and trapped personnel in fires. Obtaining high-temperature phosphorescence in organic materials can potentially lead to broader applications, but can be challenging to achieve. Here, the authors report the use of rigid molecules as both host and guest to give temperature resistance and therefore high-temperature phosphorescence.