Bright Green Emission Research Articles

A well-performed green-emitting Lu1.5Ca1.5Al3.5Si1.5O12:Ce3+ garnet phosphor for high-quality pc-WLEDs

High-brightness and thermally-stable broadband green-emitting phosphors are highly demanded for the fabrication of high-quality phosphor-converted white light-emitting diodes (pc-WLEDs) with high color rendering index (CRI) and low correlated color temperature (CCT). Herein, we report on the synthesis, luminescent properties, thermal stability and application of a novel highly efficient green-emitting Lu1.5Ca1.5Al3.5Si1.5O12:Ce3+ garnet-type phosphor for blue-chip-pumped high-CRI pc-WLEDs. A series of Lu1.5Ca1.5Al3.5Si1.5O12:Ce3+ green phosphors doped with various Ce3+ concentrations (0.5–4 mol%) have been prepared by a conventional high-temperature solid-state reaction approach. Impressively, the composition-optimized Lu1.5Ca1.5Al3.5Si1.5O12:2%Ce3+ sample exhibits a broad excitation band in the 400–500 nm spectral range with an excitation peak around 451 nm, and it gives rise to a bright broad green emission band in the 470–700 nm wavelength region (emission peak: 533 nm; bandwidth: 108 nm) with CIE color coordinates of (0.3361, 0.5640). Notably, high luminescence efficiency is obtained for Lu1.5Ca1.5Al3.5Si1.5O12:2%Ce3+ phosphor (internal quantum efficiency: 92.2%; external quantum efficiency: 50.7%). Moreover, it is also found that Lu1.5Ca1.5Al3.5Si1.5O12:2%Ce3+ shows excellent resistance to thermal quenching, while its emission intensity at 423 K remains 76% of the initial value at room temperature. Amazingly, the color stability of Lu1.5Ca1.5Al3.5Si1.5O12:2%Ce3+ is also outstanding, and only a very small chromaticity shift (3.99 × 10−3) is observed at 423 K. A high-performance pc-WLED device has been fabricated by using a 450 nm blue-emitting LED chip and as-prepared Lu1.5Ca1.5Al3.5Si1.5O12:2%Ce3+ green phosphor as well as commercial CaAlSiN3:Eu2+ red phosphor. Such device produces a bright warm-white emission under 280 mA driving current, demonstrating super CIE chromaticity coordinates (0.3870, 0.3818), high CRI of 93.8, low CCT of 3865 K, and high luminous efficacy (51.86 lmW−1).

Microwave-hydrothermal synthesis, near ultraviolet/infrared-excited green fluorescence and ratiometric thermometry of Er3+-activated iodate phosphors

Fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) technique has been a promising non-contact thermometry method owing to the characteristics of rapid response and exceptional resolution. In this study, a new iodate phosphor NaYI4O12:Er3+ (NYIO:Er3+) is synthesized via a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. It exhibits bright green emission under 380 and 980 nm excitations. The power-dependent upconversion and Er3+ content-dependent downshifting performances are investigated. Excited by 380 nm, the temperature-dependent FIR originating from thermally coupled levels of Er3+ are discussed in detail. The resulting material displays outstanding temperature sensing properties across the temperature range of 298–523 K. The absolute and relative sensitivities can reach the maximum values of 0.51 × 10−2 K−1 and 1.3 % K−1, separately. Meanwhile, the reliability and repeatability of the temperature sensing characteristics are verified. The result demonstrates that the Er3+-activated iodate phosphor NaYI4O12:Er3+ is a promising candidate in non-contact optical thermometry domain.

Reactive spark plasma sintering and luminescence properties of Gd2O2S:Tb nanocrystalline phosphor

Gd2O2S:Tb is promising for energy-efficient lighting and display applications. This work explores the use of reactive spark plasma sintering (SPS) to synthesis Gd2O2S:Tb nanocrystalline phosphor. It allows to significantly simplify the technological process in comparison with traditional multi-stage liquid-phase synthesis. As-sintered Gd2O2S:Tb demonstrated average crystallite size of 26 nm and secondary particle size of 26 μm. Bright green emission occurs at 545 nm under UV excitation of 245 nm. Average fluorescence lifetime was 0.656 ms. Further consolidation of the Gd2O2S:Tb prepared via reactive SPS can also be expected to yield highly dense ceramics. The innovative reactive synthesis strategies provide valuable insights into the design and development of high-performance luminescent ceramics.

Selective Detection of Chromate and Permanganate Ions Using Gallic Acid Capped CaF2:Tb3+ Nanocrystals.

In this study, we have developed ligand-sensitized Ln3+-doped nanocrystals (NCs) for the selective sensing of Cr2O7 2- and MnO4 - ions in nanomolar concentrations. This is accomplished with the gallic acid capped-CaF2:Tb3+ NCs. These NCs display bright green emission through an efficient energy transfer from surface functionalized gallic acid molecules to Tb3+ ions upon UV light excitation. The luminescence from Tb3+ ions are selectively quenched by the addition of Cr2O7 2- and MnO4 - anions. The reduction in the luminescence intensity is found to be quite selective, as the addition of other strong oxidizing species (I-, F-, Br-, Cl-, PO3 2-, SO4 2-, VO3 -, WO4 2-, IO3 -, ClO4 -,) had minimal impact on the luminescence intensity of Tb3+ ions. The calculated limit of detection from the experimental results (for the 3σ/slope criterion) is 77 nM and 55 nM for K2Cr2O7 and KMnO4, respectively. The findings show that tuning the resonance energy transfer (RET) between analytes and Tb3+ inside the NCs serves as a tool for the detection of dichromate and permanganate ions selectively.

Synthesis of a novel water-soluble pyridine dicarboxylate and its application in fluorescence cell imaging

Abstract A novel water-soluble substituted pyridine dicarboxylate containing a quaternary ammonium ion with potential applications in fluorescence cell imaging was synthesized and characterized. Remarkably, this compound exhibited water solubility in the absence of additional solubilizers, enabling direct dissolution in phosphate-buffered saline for cell studies. No obvious cytotoxicity was observed in 4T1 cells (mouse breast cancer cells) within the concentration range of 0.2–25 μmol L−1, with a cell survival rate above 89%. Furthermore, the compound exhibited a maximum two-photon absorption cross-section of 86 GM at an excitation wavelength of 780 nm, demonstrating high cell permeability, effective distribution in the cytoplasm, and preferential targeting of organelles. Single- and two-photon fluorescence imaging of cells revealed a distinctive blue emission and strong bright green emission, respectively. The newly synthesized substituted pyridine dicarboxylate exhibited low cytotoxicity and strong fluorescence imaging properties, demonstrating its potential in cell imaging applications.

Sb3+ dopant triggered highly efficient emission in zero-dimensional organic-inorganic hybrid metal halides.

Hybrid luminescent metal halides have attracted considerable attention for their structural diversity and versatility in photonic applications. Herein, we fabricate Sb3+ doped organic-inorganic hybrid metal halides (DMA)2CsInCl6 (DMA = [CH3NH2CH3]+) single crystal. Under ultraviolet light excitation, the crystals yield bright green emission at 550 nm with near-unity photoluminescence quantum efficiency (PLQY), which is attributed to the strong electronegativity and ns2 lone pairs of Sb3+ dopants. Given the slender rod-shaped semblance, bright green emission, near-unity PLQY, and large Stokes shift, Sb3+-doped (DMA)2CsInCl6 allows the potential optical waveguide applications.

Strategic engineering of cationic systems for spatial & temporal anti-counterfeiting applications in zero-dimensional Mn(II) halides

While spatial and time-resolved anti-counterfeiting technologies have gained increasing attention owing to their excellent tunable photoluminescence, achieving high-security-level anti-counterfeiting remains a challenge. Herein, we developed a spatial-time-dual-resolved anti-counterfeiting system using zero-dimensional (0D) organic–inorganic Mn(II) metal halides: (EMMZ)2MnBr4 (named M−1, EMMZ=1-Ethyl-3-Methylimidazolium Bromide) and (EDMMZ)2MnBr4 (named M−2, EDMMZ=1-Ethyl-2,3-Dimethylimidazolium Bromide). M−1 shows a bright green emission with a quantum yield of 78 %. It undergoes a phase transformation from the crystalline to molten state with phosphorescence quenching at 350 K. Reversible phase and luminescent conversion was observed after cooling down for 15 s. Notably, M−2 exhibits green light emission similar to M−1 but undergoes phase conversion and phosphorescence quenching at 390 K, with reversible conversion observed after cooling down for 5 s. The photoluminescence switching mode of on(green)-off–on(green) can be achieved by temperature control, demonstrating excellent performance with short response times and ultra-high cyclic reversibility. By leveraging the different quenching temperatures and reversible PL conversion times of M−1 and M−2, we propose a spatial-time-dual-resolved photoluminescence (PL) switching system that combines M−1 and M−2. This system enables multi-fold tuning of the PL switch for encryption and decryption through cationic engineering strategies by modulating temperature and cooling time. This work presents a novel and feasible design strategy for advanced-level anti-counterfeiting technology based on a spatial-time-dual-resolved system.

A Water‐Soluble Fluorescent Probe Derived from Pyridine‐2,6‐Dicarboxylic Acid: Synthesis, Interaction with Ions, and Two‐Photon Microscopy

AbstractTwo‐photon excited fluorescence is a process in which the excited fluorophore relaxes and emits fluorescence after two‐photon absorption. Combined with appropriate two‐photon fluorescent probes, two‐photon microscopy enables observation deep inside tissue without damage. Former reports showed that the two‐photon absorption cross sections of donor–acceptor (D–A) dipoles, as well as D‐π‐D and D–A–D quadrupoles can be strengthened by using strong D–A groups. In this study, a novel water‐soluble fluorescent probe with D‐π‐A structure containing pyridine‐2,6‐dicarboxylic acid unit was synthesized. The maximum excitation wavelength and emission wavelength of the probe in aqueous solution were 328 nm and 471 nm, respectively. The fluorescence emitted by the probe can be quenched by various metal cations. The pyridyl N and carboxyl O in the probe formed chelates with Cu2+, which resulted in a fluorescence quenching response, and showed a linear relationship between fluorescent intensity and Cu2+ concentration with wide linear range and low limit of detection. CCK‐8 tests showed the probe had no obvious toxicity to 4T1 cells in the range of 0.4–50 μmol L−1, and the cell survival rate was above 86 %. The probe had a large two‐photon absorption cross section ranging from 680 nm to 820 nm. The two‐photon absorption cross section reached 100 GM at 760 nm of excitation wavelength. By means of microscopic imaging of 4T1 cells stained with the probe, one‐photon fluorescence represented blue emission, while two‐photon fluorescence represented bright green emission. The probe was proved to have good cell permeability, and preferred to target nucleus, showing application potential in two‐photon fluorescence imaging technology.

A thermally stable narrow-band green phosphor Na2MgAl10O17: Eu2+, Mn2+ for NUV LED application

Thermally stable narrow-band green phosphor is important for phosphor-converted light emitting diodes (pc-LEDs). Herein, an efficient and stable Na2MgAl10O17: Eu2+, Mn2+ green phosphor is obtained using Eu2+-Mn2+ energy transfer strategy. The Mn2+ activator could be effectively sensitized by the addition of Eu2+ with significant UV absorption enhancement, then generates a bright green emission with peak at 515 nm and FWHM of 40 nm. The internal and external quantum efficiencies of optimal phosphor Na2MgAl10O17: 0.15Eu2+, 0.50Mn2+ are measured as 69.5 and 30.8 %, respectively. It is found that Na2MgAl10O17: Eu2+, Mn2+ phosphor shows good chemical and thermal stability, i.e. maintains no quenching after H2O/HCl soaking and keeps 90 % of RT intensity at 200 °C. By using Na2MgAl10O17: Eu2+, Mn2+ as converted phosphor, single-chromatic and white pc-LEDs were fabricated, which simultaneously achieve green and white emission with high brightness. Our results show that this Na2MgAl10O17: Eu2+, Mn2+ is a potential candidate as a thermally stable green phosphor for white LEDs.

Er3+ activated BaLaGaO4 multifunctional green phosphors for optical thermometers and WLEDs

Er3+-doped BaLaGaO4 green phosphors was synthesized through a high-temperature solid-state reaction technique. The phase structure and morphology test results of the phosphor indicate that the BaLaGaO4 material was successfully synthesized and Er3+ ions were successfully doped into the main lattice. This doping does change the basic structure of the crystal. BaLaGaO4:Er3+ phosphor exhibits bright green emission centered at 545 nm when excited by 381 nm ultraviolet light or 980 nm near-infrared light. The optimal doping concentration is found to be x = 0.04. To quantify the temperature sensitivity of the phosphor, the fluorescence intensity ratio method was used. Within the temperature range of 298–473 K, the maximum relative sensitivities are 1.35%/K (298 K, 381 nm) and 1.45%/K (298 K, 980 nm), respectively. The maximum absolute sensitivities are 0.67%/K (473 K, 381 nm) and 0.69%/K (473 K, 980 nm), respectively. Finally, white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) with a high colour index of Ra = 82 and a relatively low correlated colour temperature of CCT = 5064 K are obtained by integrating the synthesized BaLaGaO4:0.04Er3+ green phosphor into warm WLEDs devices. These results suggest that Er3+-activated BaLaGaO4 multifunctional phosphors hold considerable promise in the areas of optical temperature sensing and WLEDs phosphor conversion.

Manganese doping in zinc based hybrid metal halides to realize highly stable efficient green emission and flexible radiation detection

Extensive studies have been conducted on hybrid metal halides due to their application in radiation detection, solid-state lighting, and solar cells. Here, we present an environmentally friendly zero-dimensional halide, (C9H15N3)ZnBr4, which crystallizes in the P21/c space group. This compound is highly thermally stable, and doping Mn2+ results in a bright green light emission, with an impressive internal quantum efficiency of 52.9 % and an external quantum efficiency of 45.9 % for (C9H15N3)Mn0.3Zn0.7Br4. Combining spectroscopic analysis with first-principles density functional theory (DFT), it is concluded that the high external quantum efficiency arises from efficient energy transfer from the organic component to the [MnBr4]2-. Notably, the (C9H15N3)Mn0.3Zn0.7Br4 luminescence intensity maintains 50 % of its room temperature level even at 400 K. Moreover, these doped powders display exceptional scintillation performance, higher than Bi4Ge3O12. Finally, the radioluminescence intensity of (C9H15N3)Mn0.3Zn0.7Br4@polydimethylsiloxane flexible films is about three times that of Bi4Ge3O12. These features position Mn:(C9H15N3)ZnBr4 as an ideal material for X-ray detection and an efficient green photoluminescent material.

Curcumin Analogues as Organic Fluorophores for Latent Fingerprint Imaging

AbstractSynthesis and characterization of two curcumin analogues BAA and Br‐AA via a condensation reaction was reported. Both the synthesized organic luminophores exhibited aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) with bright yellow and green emission respectively. Increase in the water% enhanced the emission by both the compounds confirmed the AIE property. A detailed study of latent fingerprints visualization was also carried out for both the analogues. Both the compounds showed good to normal capability to develop latent fingerprints (LFPs). Compound BAA performed better as a fluorescent material to develop LFPs compared to Br‐AA. The LFPs developed were analyzed to obtain 1–3 level of fingerprint patterns under UV 365 nm illumination. The LFPs developed using BAA exhibited excellent efficiency, sensitivity, high contrast with low background interreference. All three levels of fingerprint patterns were identified by BAA. However, Br‐AA showed inability to develop high clarity images of latent fingerprints. The solid‐state emission nature of the analogues was also evaluated from their emission spectra and CIE coordinates were found to be were (0,187, 0.518) and (0.265, 0.484) for BAA and Br‐AA respectively.

Exploring γ and UV irradiation responses on thermoluminescence and optical thermometry studies on Y4Al2O9:Ho3+ nanophosphor

A series of green emitting Ho3+ (1–9 mol%) doped Y4Al2O9 nanophosphors (NPs) are synthesized via solution combustion technique. Photoluminescence (PL) studies shows emission peaks recorded at ∼ 522 nm (5F3→5I8), 545 (5F4, 5S2→5I8), 659 (5F5→5I8) and 730 (5F4→5I7) upon excited at 460 nm wavelength. With a tremendous potential for application in white light-emitting diodes (w-LEDs), the phosphors show a bright green emission under 460 nm excitation. They also have a notable activation energy (0.31 eV), high color purity (98.2 %), and a remarkable quantum yield (87.1 %). Most astonishingly, even at temperatures as high as 420 K, YAO:5Ho3+nanoparticles retain 88.9 % of their initial fluorescence intensity. Using the fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) method, the temperature sensing potential is also investigated. Thermoluminescence (TL) glow curves of γ (1 kGy) and UV (1 h) irradiated YAO:Ho3+(1–9 mol%) NPs exhibit two glow curves and highest intensity is recorded for YAO:5Ho3+NPs. TL characteristics of 5 mol% Ho3+ doped YAO NPs are subjected to γ (1 Gy-5 kGy) and UV (0.25–6 h) irradiation. Two glow curves recorded at 475 K (major peak) and 567 K (shouldered peak) for γ irradiation. However, for UV irradiation two glow curves at 478 K (major peak) and 575 K (shouldered peak) are recorded utilizing a 5 °C per minute heating rate. TL intensity varies with γ and UV exposure is recorded for optimized NPs and major glow peaks showcase linear response for both γ and UV irradiations, indicating that the prepared phosphor can be used in TL personal dosimetry. Furthermore, compared to γ-irradiated phosphor, UV-irradiated phosphor shows greater fading. The overall results clearly demonstrate that the optimized phosphor has proven to be an outstanding candidate for multifunctional applications.

Mechanically Triggered Bright Chemiluminescence from Polymers by Exploiting a Synergy between Masked 2-Furylcarbinol Mechanophores and 1,2-Dioxetane Chemiluminophores.

Mechanoluminescence, or the generation of light from materials under external force, is a powerful tool for biology and materials science. However, direct mechanoluminescence from polymers remains limited. Here, we report a novel design strategy for mechanoluminescent polymers that leverages the synergy between a masked 2-furylcarbinol mechanophore for mechanically triggered release and an adamantylidene-phenoxy-1,2-dioxetane chemiluminophore payload. Ultrasound-induced mechanochemical activation of polymers, in both organic and aqueous solutions, triggers a cascade reaction that ultimately results in bright green light emission. This novel strategy capitalizes on the modularity of the masked 2-furylcarbinol mechanophore system in combination with advances in the design of exceptionally bright and highly tunable adamantylidene-1,2-dioxetane chemiluminophores. We anticipate that this chemistry will enable diverse applications in optoelectronics, sensing, bioimaging, optogenetics, and many other areas.

Chiral Self‐Discrimination Induced Luminescence Vapochromism of Binaphthol Imides for Anti‐Counterfeiting and Data Encryption

AbstractChiral self‐discrimination plays a critical role in supramolecular chemistry and materials science. However, an ideal strategy for achieving chiral self‐discrimination remains elusive due to the inevitable nonspecific binding of incorrect enantiomers, and insufficient intrinsic optical activity of chiral molecules. Herein, a novel 1,1′‐binaphthol (BINOL) derivative with an imide group fused at the peri‐position of one naphthol scaffold is developed, which combines the dual functionalities of aggregation‐induced emission characteristic of BINOLs, and high emission of 1,8‐naphthalimides. The multiple molecular recognition between two hydroxyl groups in BINOL units and two carbonyl groups in 1,8‐naphthalimide moieties endows the precise chiral self‐discrimination behaviors. As expected, the homochiral aggregates exhibit reversible phase transitions, switching from non‐emission to bright green emission upon absorption and desorption of methanol vapor. In contrast, the heterochiral conglomerates exhibit irreversible yellow emission changes due to the impact of chiral self‐discrimination. Such chiral self‐discrimination‐induced luminescence vapochromism can be further applied to high‐level anti‐counterfeiting and data encryption. This work provides a new perspective on smart chiral organic materials based on chiral self‐discrimination.

Nitrogen doped carbon dots and gold nanoparticles mediated FRET for the detection of creatinine in human urine samples

Serum creatinine (CR) is regarded as one of the most sought out prognostic biomarkers in medical evaluation of chronic kidney disease (CKD). In light of the diagnostic significance of CR, the utility of a fluorescence biosensor for its detection in human urine specimens has been explored based on Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) across nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) and gold nanoparticles (GNPs). A straightforward microwave-assisted synthesis procedure has been adopted to prepare N-CDs (λexcitation = 400 nm, λemission = 540 ± 5 nm) with bright green emissions. On addition of pre-synthesized GNPs, the radiative emanation of the N-CDs is completely suppressed on account of FRET across the N-CDs and the GNPs. About 77 % of their fluorescence intensity is recovered after adding CR to GNPs@N-CDs nanocomposite. The limit of detection for CR sensing is estimated as 0.02 µg•mL−1. This biosensor is selective enough to recognize CR in the existence of potential interfering substances (e.g., ascorbic acid, glucose, glutathione, urea, and electrolytes). Its practical utility for CR detection has been validated further on the basis of satisfactory correlation with the benchmark Jaffe method, as observed in artificial/human urine specimens. Consequently, this manuscript marks a pioneering report on employing CDs and GNPs-based FRET for identifying CR in urine specimens of CKD patients.

Luminescence under UV(A, B and C) and sunlight exposure of tetrakis Tb3+ carboxylate complexes doped in different polymers

New tetrakis Lanthanide(III) carboxylate-based complexes (Ln3+: Eu and Tb) were successfully synthesized via a facile one-pot method with flufenamic acid (fluf) as ligand and benzimidazole (Bzim) or 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazole (C2mim) as counterions. In addition, the Q[Tb(fluf)4] complexes (Q+: Bzim and C2mim) were doped into polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polystyrene (PS), polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(9-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) polymeric matrices at a 1 % (w/w) concentration and revealed highly desirable photophysical features such as wide range excitation wavelengths for the PMMA and PCL matrices and a very uncommon emission under sunlight exposure arising from the Tb3+ ion for the PMMA material. Thus, the tetrakis compounds with general formula Q[Ln(fluf)4] were characterized by elemental and thermal analysis, ESI-MS mass spectrometry, and FTIR absorption spectroscopy. The PMMA:(1 %)Q[Tb(fluf)4] doped films revealed higher thermal stability than the complexes. The tetrakis Eu3+ complex with Bzim as counterion shows no luminescence either for room or low temperature due to a highly operative low-lying ligand to metal charge transfer (LMCT) state quenching, while the corresponding C2mim-based analogous complex reveals some weak intensity emission, showing very low intrinsic quantum yield (QEuEu) values. On the other hand, the corresponding Tb3+ compounds presented bright green emission for the solid-state complexes and, particularly, for the PMMA:(1 %)Q[Tb(fluf)4] doped films when excited at UVA, UVB, and UVC radiation. Moreover, when the doped PMMA films are exposed to sunlight radiation in an open external environment, a bright green emission arising from the 5D4 → 7F5 transition from the Tb3+ ion can be seen. In this way, these optical results suggest that the PMMA:(1 %)Q[Tb(fluf)4] luminescent photonic materials can act as versatile and efficient light-converting molecular devices (LCMDs).

Vacuum-Boosting Precise Synthetic Control of Highly Bright Solid-State Carbon Quantum Dots Enables Efficient Light Emitting Diodes.

Carbon quantum dots (C-dots) have emerged as efficient fluorescent materials for solid-state lighting devices. However, it is still a challenge to obtain highly bright solid-state C-dots because of the aggregation caused quenching. Compared to the encapsulation of as-prepared C-dots in matrices, one-step preparation of C-dots/matrix complex is a good method to obtain highly bright solid-state C-dots, which is still quite limited. Here, an efficient and controllable vacuum-boosting gradient heating approach is demonstrated for in situ synthesis of a stable and efficient C-dots/matrix complex. The addition of boric acid strongly bonded with urea, promoting the selectivity of the reaction between citric acid and urea. Benefiting from the high reaction selectivity and spatial-confinement growth of C-dots in porous matrices, in situ synthesize C-dots bonded can synthesized dominantly with a crosslinked octa-cyclic compound, biuret and cyanuric acid (triuret). The obtained C-dots/matrix complex exhibited bright green emission with a quantum yield as high as 90% and excellent thermal and photo stability. As a proof-of-concept, the as-prepared C-dots are used for the fabrication of white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with a color rendering index of 84 and luminous efficiency of 88.14lm W-1, showing great potential for applications in LEDs.

Intermolecular π-π interactions-induced aggregation based on bispyrene for ultrasensitive detection of picric acid (PA) and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP)

It was still important to explore excimer emission-based fluorescence probes for nitroaromatics detection by formation or destruction of pyrene excimer with strong emission change. In this work, we have synthesized a simple bis(pyrene) derivative (BisPyH) and studied its optical behavior by using UV–vis and fluorescent spectroscopy. In pure DMSO solution, it emitted a weak blue fluorescence due to the formation of excimer states, on the contrary, the BisPyH in the DMSO/H2O (v/v, 1:1) mixture solution was self-assembled to form aggregates via intermolecular π-π interactions among pyrene units, giving almost 10-fold fluorescence enhancement compared to that in pure DMSO solution. The formed aggregates just offered a perfect platform for the selective detection PA and DNP explosives by quenching the bright green intermolecular-excimer emission in competitive environment. BisPyH exhibited a limit of detection (LOD) towards PA, and DNP as low as 7.32 × 10−8, and 8.11 × 10−8 M, respectively. Subsequently, the fluorescence quenching mechanism was demonstrated by the density functional theory (DFT), UV–vis and fluorescence spectra, SEM, and the quenching constants. Furthermore, filter paper strips and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plates coated with BisPyH were able to detect PA and DNP in the practical application.

Integrating K+ into Eu and Tb doped GdCa4O(BO3)3: A dual study on photoluminescence and structure

In this study, we investigate the structural and photoluminescence (PL) properties of rare-earth-doped GdCa4O(BO3)3 (GdCOB) phosphors, specifically focusing on the spectral behaviour induced by doping with Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ ions. The powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra confirm the formation of a monoclinic phase. The XRD data were also refined by a Rietveld refinement method. The existence of B, O, Ca, Gd, Tb, Eu and K elements was verified by EDS spectra. We introduce a detailed examination of the charge compensation process using Kröger-Vink notation to clarify the mechanisms essential for tailoring the optical properties of the phosphors. The PL excitation spectrum of GdCOB:Eu3+, monitored at 611 nm, reveals sharp excitation peaks at 319, 361, 380, and 392 nm, corresponding to 7F0→5H3, 7F0→5D4, 7F0→7F0, and 7F0→5L6 transitions, respectively. The PL spectrum under excitation of 392 nm exhibits that phosphors doped with Eu3+ a significant red emission at 611 nm, which is attributed to the 5D₀→7F₂ transition. This emission intensity is particularly enhanced at non-centrosymmetric sites of the Eu³⁺ ions. Similarly, the PL excitation spectrum of GdCOB:Tb3+, monitored at 552 nm, displays distinct excitation peaks at 316, 341, 353, and 379 nm, which correspond to the transitions 7F₆→5D₀, 7 F₆→5L₇, 7F₆→5D₂, and 7F₆→5D₃, respectively. Tb³⁺-doped phosphors display a bright green emission, with a dominant peak at 552 nm, resulting from the 5D₄→7F₅ transition. Additionally, the introduction of K⁺ ions as co-dopants results in modifications to the local environments of Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ ions. These changes allow for fine-tuning of the emission peaks, significantly enhancing the luminescent output of the phosphors. Optimal doping concentrations of 5 mol% for Eu³⁺ and 1 mol% for Tb³⁺ enhance luminescent intensity and prevent concentration quenching. This phenomenon, often resulting in reduced PL intensity at higher dopant levels, is primarily due to dipole-dipole interactions, consistent with Dexter's theory of energy transfer. Strategic modulation of doping concentrations, coupled with a deep understanding of energy transfer mechanisms are critical for the development of advanced luminescent materials Our analysis of the Commission de l′Eclairage (CIE) chromaticity coordinates reveals enhanced energy transfer dynamics in rare-earth-doped borates, facilitating the tuning of luminescent properties. These results not only deepen our understanding of the fundamental physics governing such phosphors but also open pathways for the development of optoelectronic applications requiring consistent color output, such as LED technologies and solid-state lighting.