Afterglow Materials Research Articles

Near-infrared TADF-type organic afterglow materials

Because of the energy gap law, as well as the spin-forbidden nature of triplet formation and transformation, it remains formidable task to achieve efficient and long-lived organic afterglow materials with long emission wavelengths, especially in the near-infrared region, under ambient conditions. Here we incorporate TADF-type afterglow mechanism in dopant-matrix systems which features a moderate kRISC of 101-102 s−1 to harvest triplet energies, boost afterglow efficiency and maintain afterglow lifetime. Specifically, we design a series of boron difluoride curcuminoid (CurBF2) compounds to serve as luminescent dopants. Organic matrices of crystalline nature and with carbonyl groups are selected to suppress triplet quenching by their rigid microenvironment and populate triplet states via dipole effect developed in our group. The resultant dopant-matrix systems display near-infrared TADF-type organic afterglow with emission wavelength >700 nm, quantum yield around 10 % and afterglow lifetime >10 ms, which can function as deep-penetrating and background-independent bioimaging probes.

Ultrahigh-Temperature Long-Persistent Luminescence from B2O3-Confined Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds.

Organic molecules and polymers have recently been intensively explored for afterglow materials owing to their low cost and flexible design. However, they normally fail to generate long-persistent luminescence at elevated temperatures, mostly due to the fast deactivation of triplet excited states. Here, we report that polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) individually confined in a B2O3 crystalloid emit long-persistent luminescence at high temperatures up to 400 °C. This is facilely accomplished by dispersing a series of aromatic derivatives in an aqueous solution of boric acid, followed by drying, melting, and dehydrating. The resulting highly rigid and thermostable B2O3 crystalloid network provides a matched ultrastrong confinement effect and completely restricts the vibration and rotation of the molecularly distributed PACs even at ultrahigh temperatures and thereby prevents the nonradiative dissipation of triplet excitons and promotes the generation of ultrahigh-temperature long-persistent luminescence. The afterglow colors are responsive to both temperature and time, spanning from ultraviolet to near-infrared regions over a wide temperature range, which is substantially modulated by the subtle balance of phosphorescence and thermally activated delayed fluorescence. These features favor the creation of advanced afterglow materials for visual 3D temperature probing, anticounterfeiting, and data encryption in extreme environments.

Preparation and Luminescence Properties of Broadband Orange-Emitting Persistent ScBaZn3GaO7:Bi3+ Phosphor.

This article describes a new kind of afterglow material, ScBaZn3GaO7:Bi3+, which was synthesized through a high-temperature solid-phase method. Its crystal structure, photoluminescent characteristics, and afterglow characteristics were studied and analyzed. Upon excitation at 344 nm, ScBaZn3GaO7:Bi3+ exhibits broadband emission with a central wavelength located at 571 nm (fwhm = 172.98 nm). The sample exhibits an internal quantum efficiency of 65.1%. The bright yellow persistent luminescence of the ScBaZn3GaO7:Bi3+ sample was observed after 365 nm irradiation. Thermoluminescence spectroscopy revealed four primary traps within ScBaZn3GaO7:Bi3+, with depths of 0.676, 0.794, 0.882, and 0.972 eV. The traps located at energy levels of 0.676 and 0.794 eV were identified as the key contributors to the sample's afterglow. Finally, the ScBaZn3GaO7:Bi3+ sample was combined with a UV-LED chip to fabricate a high-power warm white-light-emitting diode (WLED) device, indicating the potential application prospect of ScBaZn3GaO7:Bi3+ phosphor in single-phase warm WLEDs.

Tuning triplet excitons and dynamic afterglow based on host-guest doping

Designing persistent dual-band afterglow materials with thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) contributed to solving the problems of homogenization and singularity in long afterglow materials. Here, six aryl acetonitrile (CBM) and aryl dicyanoaniline (AMBT) derivatives, used as host and guest materials respectively, were successfully designed and synthesized based on the isomerization effect. Among of them, 0.1 % m-CBM/p-AMBT showed the longest dual-band TADF (540 ms) and RTP lifetimes (721 ms), as well as persistent afterglow over 8 s, whose fluorescence (ΦFL), TADF (ΦT) and RTP (ΦP) quantum yields were 0.11, 0.06 and 0.22 in sequence. More interestingly, some doping systems constructed by CBM and AMBT series compounds showed persistent triple-band emissions composed of TADF, unimolecular and aggregated AMBT series compounds. What’s more, ΦFL, ΦT and ΦP of 1 % o-AMBT@PMMA film were up to 0.17, 0.17, 0.23 in turn, with TADF, RTP and afterglow lifetimes of 606 ms, 727 ms, and 10 s respectively. TADF and RTP emission of CBM/AMBT series doping systems was attributed to host sensitized guest emission. Besides, the comparison displayed AMBT series compounds had bigger intensity ratios between TADF and RTP emission in PMMA films compared to in CBM series compounds. Finally, a series of data encryption were successfully constructed based on different afterglow lifetimes of the doping systems, and a dynamic anti-counterfeiting pattern was prepared by using different temperature responses of TADF and RTP emissions.

Enabling efficient and ultralong room-temperature phosphorescence from organic luminogens by locking the molecular conformation in polymer matrix

Tackling the challenge of developing ultralong organic phosphorescence (UOP) materials with a high phosphorescence quantum yield (Φphos.) and an ultralong phosphorescence lifetime (τphos.) under ambient conditions is urgently needed. Herein, typical organic luminogens with simple chemical structures, namely, triphenylamine (TPA), 9-phenylcarbazole (PCz), and indolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazole (ICz), are doped into a melamine–formaldehyde (MF) polymer matrix with a compact three-dimensional covalent network to prepare UOP materials, respectively. Both experiments and theoretical calculations suggest that restricting intramolecular motions to suppress the nonradiative decay of triplet excitons plays a critical role in achieving ultralong room-temperature phosphorescence from organic molecules in polymer matrices. The luminophore ICz with a planar and rigid chemical structure, constructed by locking the molecular conformation of TPA via carbon–carbon single bonds, exhibits a bright organic afterglow with a Φphos. up to 38.31 % and a τphos. up to 2.73 s in the MF polymer under ambient conditions, representing one of the most excellent polymer-based organic afterglow materials in comprehensive UOP performance. The gradual enhancement in UOP of the resulting luminescent materials has led to their successful use in multi-level anti-counterfeiting. This work provides an effective strategy for developing organic afterglow materials with both high Φphos. and τphos. values.

Hierarchical Dual‐Mode Efficient Tunable Afterglow via J‐Aggregates in Single‐Phosphor‐Doped Polymer

AbstractThe development of polymer‐based persistent luminescence materials with color‐tunable organic afterglow and multiple responses is highly desirable for applications in anti‐counterfeiting, flexible displays, and data‐storage. However, achieving efficient persistent luminescence from a single‐phosphor system with multiple responses remains a challenging task. Herein, by doping 9H‐pyrido[3,4‐b]indole (PI2) into an amorphous polyacrylamide matrix, a hierarchical dual‐mode emission system is developed, which exhibits color‐tunable afterglow due to excitation‐, temperature‐, and humidity‐dependence. Notably, the coexistence of the isolated state and J‐aggregate state of the guest molecule not only provides an excitation‐dependent afterglow color, but also leads to a hierarchical temperature‐dependent afterglow color resulting from different thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and ultralong organic phosphorescence (UOP) behaviors of the isolated and aggregated states. The complex responsiveness based on the hierarchical dual‐mode emission can serve for security features through inkjet printing and ink‐writing. These findings may provide further insight into the regulated persistent luminescence by isolated and aggregated phosphors in doped polymer systems and expand the scope of stimuli‐responsive organic afterglow materials for broader applications.

Hierarchical Dual-Mode Efficient Tunable Afterglow via J-Aggregates in Single-Phosphor-Doped Polymer.

The development of polymer-based persistent luminescence materials with color-tunable organic afterglow and multiple responses is highly desirable for applications in anti-counterfeiting, flexible displays, and data-storage. However, achieving efficient persistent luminescence from a single-phosphor system with multiple responses remains a challenging task. Herein, by doping 9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole (PI2) into an amorphous polyacrylamide matrix, a hierarchical dual-mode emission system is developed, which exhibits color-tunable afterglow due to excitation-, temperature-, and humidity-dependence. Notably, the coexistence of the isolated state and J-aggregate state of the guest molecule not only provides an excitation-dependent afterglow color, but also leads to a hierarchical temperature-dependent afterglow color resulting from different thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and ultralong organic phosphorescence (UOP) behaviors of the isolated and aggregated states. The complex responsiveness based on the hierarchical dual-mode emission can serve for security features through inkjet printing and ink-writing. These findings may provide further insight into the regulated persistent luminescence by isolated and aggregated phosphors in doped polymer systems and expand the scope of stimuli-responsive organic afterglow materials for broader applications.

Developing a novel sustainable and durable self-luminous pavement material with solar energy absorption capability

Self-luminous pavement materials can autonomously absorb solar energy and emit light at night, offering a novel approach to improving nighttime road visibility and reducing energy consumption. Despite their potential, current self-luminous pavement coatings face challenges related to insufficient durability and anti-skid properties. To address this, this paper aims to develop a novel sustainable and durable self-luminous pavement material and thin layer. The development involved optimizing high-transparency epoxy resin based on mechanical properties and ultraviolet aging resistance, as well as selecting long afterglow materials based on luminous performance. Subsequently, a novel self-luminous pavement thin layer, comprising an anti-skid layer, a bonding layer, a self-luminous layer, and a sub-bonding layer, was proposed and tested. The results indicate that this novel self-luminous thin layer maintains a brightness level of 4–6 mcd/m2 after 6 h of light emission, which is still a bright level for the human eye. Additionally, it shows robust performance against ultraviolet aging, water damage, and long-term abrasion. The material cost of this thin layer is approximately 32.00 USD/m2, offering an economic advantage over mixture and pouring-in type, and it also provides benefits such as energy savings, improved traffic safety, and enhanced aesthetic appeal of scenic roads. Future efforts should focus on analyzing the economic benefits of these functions to better understand the full lifecycle advantages of this innovative material. In general, the novel durable self-luminous thin layer proposed in this study provides a practical and sustainable solution for self-luminous pavements.

Sustainable photocatalytic process using non-silver agent ZnO/P-g-C3N4/Sr2MgSi2O7:Eu2+,Dy3+ for antibacterial activity

Antimicrobials have become a necessity in the post-pandemic era. In contrast to traditional silver-based antimicrobial materials, which are sterilized by silver ions, photocatalytic materials are mainly sterilized by generating reactive oxygen species, but they are limited by light. In this study, the composite coupling of semiconductor photocatalysts with long afterglow materials was designed to form ZnO/P-g-C3N4/Sr2MgSi2O7:Eu2+,Dy3+ (ZPS) for antibacterial ceramics application. The morphological, chemical structure, and optical properties of ZPS were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and UV visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS). The sustainable photocatalytic properties of as-synthesized composites were explored. Furthermore, the antimicrobial ceramics were prepared by incorporating this antibacterial agent into ceramic glazes, which were found to be highly effective against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), with a suppression rate of more than 99 %. The results of active species capture and electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments suggested that •O2- was the significant active species of the photocatalytic antimicrobial agent with a contribution of 47.17 % and that ZPS could continuously produce active species in the dark state.

A Simple and Universal Approach to Synthesizing Multi-Confined Carbon Dots with Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence.

Afterglow materials possess the remarkable capability to harness the energy and subsequently emit light after irradiation is turned off. Owing to their extraordinary ultralong lifetime, afterglow materials have garnered significant interest across various domains such as sensing, optoelectronics, bioimaging, and information encryption. However, these materials typically exhibit temperature sensitivity, rendering their afterglow emission susceptible to efficient quenching at room temperature. Consequently, this study presents herein a straightforward, simple, and universal approach for synthesizing metal-free carbon dots (CDs) endowed with thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) characteristics at room temperature. In this study, TADF-CDs were simply synthesized by pyrolyzing boronic acid (BA) and urea at 500 ℃ for 3h. Benefiting from the multi-confined effects facilitated by the robust structure of BA matrix, in conjunction with the co-doped heteroatoms of nitrogen and boron, the resultant TADF-CDs manifest remarkably prolonged afterglow TADF emission, characterized by a calculated lifetime of 184.64 ms; moreover, the blue afterglow emission remains perceptible to the naked eye for more than 6s. The attributes of TADF-CDs were comprehensively elucidated through rigorous characterization, and the universality of the approach was corroborated through experimentation involving fourteen control CDs. Leveraging their distinctive TADF attributes, the prepared TADF-CDs were subsequently employed in advanced applications such as anti-counterfeiting and information encryption.

Sulfur-doped carbon dots and g-C3N4 composite with thermally activated delayed fluorescence for white-light illumination and anticounterfeiting

Long-lived afterglow materials have attracted considerable interest in the fields of information security and illumination. Herein, a novel carbon dot (CD)-based thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) material was synthesized by embedding sulfur-doped CDs (SCDs) into a graphitic carbon nitride matrix. The formation of covalent bonds between the matrix and SCDs enhances the stabilization of the triplet state in the composite, effectively suppressing nonradiative transitions. This stabilization, coupled with the effects of sulfur doping and covalent bonding, reduces the singlet–triplet splitting energy in the composite, thereby facilitating reverse intersystem crossing and resulting in TADF emission. This composite material has been successfully employed in the development of three types of CD-based white light–emitting diodes (WLEDs) excited by blue light. These WLEDs exhibit color temperatures of 7641, 5590, and 3215 K, with CIE coordinates of (0.30, 0.29), (0.33, 0.30), and (0.42, 0.40), respectively. The corresponding values of the color rendering index are recorded as 81.86, 90.13, and 75.07. In addition, this research provides a brief demonstration of the potential of the composite in information encryption and visible-light encryption applications. Furthermore, this study contributes to the advancement of CD utilization in the WLED field, promoting the development of next-generation CD-based WLEDs with exceptional properties.

Dual-Confinement and Surface-Ionization Induced Controllable Regulate Visible-Light-Activated Colorful Afterglow of Carbon Dots for Multifunctional Applications.

Low-energy visible-light-activated carbon dots (CDs)-based afterglow materials are difficult to realize due to the inherent aromatic carbon with high-energy absorption and the lack of effective regulation. Here, a new strategy for visible-light-activated CDs is proposed by combining dual-confinement and surface-ionization, which employs NaOH for additional confinement and surface ionization of CDs in a single boric acid (BA) matrix. The comparison experiments show that: i) shifting the excitation from UV-light to vis-light is realized by enhancing the low-energy surface states n→π* transition of the CDs by surface ionization of NaOH. ii) CDs are additionally protected by a more stable Na─O ionic bond after NaOH confinement, resulting in a brighter afterglow. iii) the energy gap (ΔEST) between the lowest singlet and triplet states is gradually shortened as increasing NaOH content, facilitating intersystem crossing, prolonging the lifetime of triplet excitons and efficiency. Further, vis-light-excited colorful afterglow powders are fabricated based on Förster Resonant Energy Transfer by combining the fluorescent dye 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine. Finally, advanced white-light-activated time-resolved anti-counterfeiting and intelligent traffic flashing signs are realized. The work may shed new light on the design of low-energy-activated afterglow materials and broaden the application scenarios in the daily lives of human society.

Room‐Temperature Afterglow Nanostructures via Block Copolymer Self‐Assembly

AbstractMiniaturization of organic afterglow materials has shown promising application in biomedical and other areas. Current technologies, such as nanoprecipitation, mechanical treatment, and emulsion polymerization, lack the capability of facile control on the morphology and dimension of the miniaturized organic afterglow materials. Here we report the fabrication of organic afterglow nanostructures via block copolymer self‐assembly at room temperature. The fabrication is based on two‐component design strategy where hydrophobic luminescent emitters with small rate constants of phosphorescence decay or reverse intersystem crossing are designed as the first component. Amphiphilic block copolymers that can form spherical core‐shell micelles and worm‐like micelles with glassy hydrophobic cores are used as the second component. Upon addition of water into a dimethylformamide solution that contains the two components, the amphiphilic block copolymers self‐assemble into well‐defined nanostructures and accommodate the hydrophobic luminescent emitters in nanostructure's hydrophobic cores. After switching to pure water by dialysis, room‐temperature afterglow nanostructures have been obtained because of the excellent protection of organic triplets by the glassy hydrophobic cores. The afterglow nanostructures exhibit intriguing afterglow mechanism modulated by the types of luminescent emitters, controlled dimensions and morphologies by the structural parameters of the block copolymers.

Chemiluminescent Afterglow Material for Enhanced Tumor Diagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy

AbstractAfterglow materials offer great advantages for imaging, including ultra‐long luminescent lifetimes for sustained signal after excitation, high signal‐to‐noise ratios due to minimal tissue autofluorescence interference, and the ability to achieve deep tissue penetration with near‐infrared (NIR) afterglow. AIEgens, known for their potent singlet oxygen (¹O₂) generation during photodynamic therapy (PDT), further enhance the approach. Here is the first report on how to integrate AIEgens with chemiluminescent agents for constructing NIR afterglow materials, enabling chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (CRET)‐mediated activation of AIEgens for targeted PDT. DCL/TBQ nanoparticles (NPs) exemplify this promising theranostic design. These NPs exhibit high selectivity and sensitivity toward ONOO−, a biomarker associated with tumors, with a low limit of detection (46.1 nm). Additionally, DCL/TBQ NPs boast impressive deep tissue penetration (2 cm) and a remarkable 120‐fold improvement in signal‐to‐noise ratio for tumor afterglow imaging. Most importantly, significant tumor growth inhibition capabilities are demonstrated. This approach holds immense potential for the development of next‐generation theranostic agents, enabling simultaneous tumor diagnosis and treatment with improved accuracy and efficacy.

Near‐Infrared Afterglow Luminescence Amplification via Albumin Complexation of Semiconducting Polymer Nanoparticles for Surgical Navigation in Ex Vivo Porcine Models

AbstractAfterglow imaging, leveraging persistent luminescence following light cessation, has emerged as a promising modality for surgical interventions. However, the scarcity of efficient near‐infrared (NIR) responsive afterglow materials, along with their inherently low brightness and lack of cyclic modulation in afterglow emission, has impeded their widespread adoption. Addressing these challenges requires a strategic repurposing of afterglow materials that improve on such limitations. Here, an afterglow probe, composed of bovine serum albumin (BSA) coated with an afterglow material, a semiconducting polymer dye (SP1), called BSA@SP1 demonstrating a substantial amplification of the afterglow luminescence (≈3‐fold) compared to polymer‐lipid coated PFODBT (DSPE‐PEG@SP1) under same experimental conditions is developed. This enhancement is believed to be attributed to the electron‐rich matrix provided by BSA that immobilizes SP1 and enhances the generation of 1O2 radicals, which improves the afterglow luminescence brightness. Through molecular docking, physicochemical characterization, and optical assessments, BSA@SP1's superior afterglow properties, cyclic afterglow behavior, long‐term colloidal stability, and biocompatibility are highlighted. Furthermore, superior tissue permeation profiling of afterglow signals of BSA@SP1's compared to fluorescence signals using ex vivo tumor‐mimicking phantoms and various porcine tissue types (skin, muscle, and fat) is demonstrated. Expanding on this, to showcase BSA@SP1's potential in image‐guided surgeries, tumor‐mimicking phantoms within porcine lungs and conducted direct comparisons between fluorescence and afterglow‐guided interventions to illustrate the latter's superiority is implanted. Overall, the study introduces a promising strategy for enhancing current afterglow materials through protein complexation, resulting in both ultrahigh signal‐to‐background ratios and cyclic afterglow signals.

Controllable Afterglow Emission of Single‐Mode to Dual‐Mode Carbon Dot Composites through Matrix Ratio Adjustment

AbstractRoom temperature afterglow materials have received widespread attention and application in anti‐counterfeiting, imaging, and other fields, but the many shortcomings of traditional afterglow materials in terms of cost, environment, and synthesis methods have limited their development. In contrast, carbon dot materials have attracted more and more research due to their numerous advantages and great potential for development. However, the preparation of carbon dot materials with phosphorescence and delayed fluorescence afterglow emission capabilities remains a difficult task. In this study, a series of long life afterglow carbon dot composites with single‐mode and dual‐mode afterglow emission were successfully prepared by inserting carbon dots synthesized from glucose and glycine into boric acid matrix through a two‐step hydrothermal method. This series of carbon dot composites has achieved a transformation from single‐mode phosphorescent emission to unique dual‐mode afterglow emission, allowing for efficient environmental response color modulation. The composites display different afterglow emissions dominated by either phosphorescent or delayed fluorescence at different temperatures. Based on their excellent temperature sensitivity, a single‐mode long phosphorescence with a lifetime of 1.62 seconds was achieved at low temperature. In summary, we have discovered a convenient and efficient method to achieve dual‐mode emission by adjusting the matrix proportion.

Dual-emission CPB@SMSO@SiO2 composites with tunable afterglow through energy transfer

Afterglow materials face limitations in color variety, low luminosity, and stability. Thus, developing materials with adjustable afterglow color, increased photoluminescence (PL) intensity, and enhanced stability is crucial. This paper reports the fabrication of a series of core–shell composites, CPB@SMSO@SiO2, which combine Sr2MgSi2O7: Eu2+, Dy3+ (SMSO) and lead halide perovskite quantum dots (CsPbBr3/CPB PeQDs) through a process involving in-situ growth and hydrolytic coating. The SMSO in the composite can absorb 365 nm UV light and then emit 470 nm light, which can be absorbed by the CsPbBr3 PeQDs, resulting in an overall increase in the PL intensity of the composite. The afterglow color can be turned from green to blue by adjusting the ratio of SMSO and CsPbBr3. Furthermore, the stability of the composites is improved by the SiO2 shell layer formed by hydrolysis of tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS). This study presents an opportunity to develop innovative afterglow materials.

Solution-processable organic–inorganic materials with colorful afterglow at room temperature

The development of large-scale manufacture for low-cost afterglow materials is critical for their applications and industrializations. Herein, we presented the organic–inorganic afterglow materials with multiple colors based on boric acid (BA) and aromatic dicarboxylic acids or their diesters. These hybrid materials were facilely prepared by a solution-processable method via evaporating the solvent of the BA and organics solution at room temperature. The crystalized BA provided a rigid surrounding for the organics via hydrogen bonds, which effectively inhibited the non-radiative decay of triplet excitons and gave efficient and persistent room temperature afterglow with the phosphorescent quantum yield up to 57.66%. The phosphorescence properties were almost unchanged when deuterated BA was used instead of BA, indicating the deuteration of the hydrogen bond would not suppress the non-radiative decay from the excited state. Furthermore, a phosphorescence resonance energy transfer process was achieved by introducing 4-[4-(Dimethylamino)styryl]-1-methylpyridinium iodide (DASPI) as the energy acceptor. These BA based system could be used as quick-writable phosphorescent inks for multifunctional applications, such as anti-counterfeiting, information storage, encryption, and even for phosphor layer of light emitting diode. These results not only strengthen the understanding of the luminescence mechanism of BA hybrid materials, but also provide a new access to organic–inorganic afterglow materials.

Wide-Color-Tunable Afterglow Materials from Blue to Deep Red via Boric Acid Assisted Molecular Doping

Wide-Color-Tunable Afterglow Materials from Blue to Deep Red via Boric Acid Assisted Molecular Doping

Investigation of silicon doped carbon dots/Carboxymethyl cellulose gel platform with tunable afterglow and dynamic multistage anticounterfeiting

The remarkable optical properties of carbon dots, particularly their tunable room-temperature phosphorescence, have garnered significant interest. However, challenges such as aggregation propensity and complex phosphorescence control via energy level manipulation during synthesis persist. Addressing these issues, we present a facile gel platform for tunable afterglow materials. This involves chemically cross-linking biomass-derived silicon-doped carbon dots with carboxymethylcellulose and incorporating non-precious metal salts (BaCl2, CaCl2, MgCl2, ZnCl2, ZnBr2, ZnSO4) to enhance phosphorescence. Metal salts boost intersystem crossing via spin–orbit coupling, elevating triplet state transitions and activating phosphorescence. Chemical bonding and salt-induced coordination/electrostatic interactions establish confinement effects, suppressing non-radiative transitions. Diverse salt-gel interactions yield gels with tunable phosphorescence lifetimes (9.48 ms to 32.13–492.39 ms), corresponding to afterglow durations ranging from 3.20 to 11.86 s. With its broad tunability and high recognition, this gel material exhibits promising potential for dynamic multilevel anti-counterfeiting applications.