Rapid Fabrication of Photoluminescent Electrospun Nanofibers without the Need of Chemical Polymeric Backbone Modifications

Mushtaq A Sobhan,Leng L Chng,Franklin Anariba,Andrei Lebedev

doi:10.1155/2018/1980357

Abstract

Photoluminescent electrospun nanofibers were fabricated by incorporating a cyclopentadiene derivative AIE-active luminogen within the polymeric matrices of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), poly(vinylidene fluoride)-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP), and poly(methylacrylate) (PMMA) under different solvents. Raman, infrared, and fluorescence spectroscopy showed the molecular integrity of the AIEgen is maintained during the electrospinning process while exhibiting a strong and uniformed phosphorescent radiative pathway of τaverage = 8.9 μs. This method allows for the rapid fabrication of photoluminescent nanofibers into a wide range of polymeric matrices without the need of chemical modifications. Taken together, the prepared electrospun phosphorescent nanofibers are a stepping stone for AIEgens to be applied in the digital manufacturing and design of smart textiles.

Highlights

Luminogens have gained tremendous interest because of their applicability in the fabrication of solid state emitters, such as organic light emitting diodes (OLED), required in display applications
Traditional luminogens suffer from aggregation-induced quenching (AIQ) in the solid state form, mostly due to the formation of excimers and exciplexes species
At the 30,000 times magnification level (see Figure 2(a) inset in upper right corner), the nanofibers showed smooth surfaces without the presence of beads or any other structural features associated with the electrospinning method or as previously reported for a HPS/poly(methyl) methacrylate (PMMA) blend [19]

Summary

Introduction

Luminogens have gained tremendous interest because of their applicability in the fabrication of solid state emitters, such as organic light emitting diodes (OLED), required in display applications. We demonstrate that an AIEgen initially displaying low photoluminescence while dissolved in organic solvents can exhibit strong phosphorescence in an electrospun nanofiber when stimulated with UV light.

Results

Conclusion