Novel highly efficient blue-emitting branched oligoarylsilanes

Abstract

In this work synthesis and study of novel nanostructured organosilicon luminophores (NOLs) based on p-terphenyl and POPOP (1,4-bis(5-phenyloxazol-2-yl) benzene) moieties with unique optical properties is reported. NOLs are branched molecules composed from a donor-acceptor-donor framework with different optical bandgap luminescence moieties connected via silicon atoms. As a result effective intramolecular Förster resonance energy transfer can be observed. The main advantages of such materials in comparison with conventional organic luminophores are high molar absorption coefficient, excellent photoluminescence quantum yield, fast luminescence decay time, good processability and low toxicity. Using NOLs in plastic scintillators, widely utilized for radiation detection and in elementary particles discoveries, led to significant improving their efficiency, which combines both high light output and fast decay time. In the best samples the scintillation light yield was 20% higher in comparison with the standard commercially available plastic scintillator UPS-89.