Altering Chain Flexibility of Aliphatic Polyesters for Yellow-Green Clusteroluminescence in 38 % Quantum Yield

Bo Chu; Haoke Zhang; Lanfang Hu; Bin Liu; Chengjian Zhang; Xinghong Zhang; Ben Zhong Tang

doi:10.1002/anie.202114117

Altering Chain Flexibility of Aliphatic Polyesters for Yellow-Green Clusteroluminescence in 38 % Quantum Yield

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2022 Feb 1;61(6):e202114117. doi: 10.1002/anie.202114117. Epub 2021 Dec 16.

Authors

Bo Chu¹, Haoke Zhang^{1

2

3}, Lanfang Hu¹, Bin Liu⁴, Chengjian Zhang¹, Xinghong Zhang¹, Ben Zhong Tang^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
² ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, 311215, China.
³ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
⁴ School of Energy and Power Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan, 03005, China.
⁵ Shenzhen Institute of Aggregate Science and Technology, School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China.
⁶ The Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.

PMID: 34820976
DOI: 10.1002/anie.202114117

Abstract

Preparation of non-conjugated polymers with long-wavelength emission and high quantum yield (QY) is still a huge challenge. Herein, we report the first example of linear non-conjugated polyester exhibiting yellow-green clusteroluminescence (CL) and a high QY of 38 %. We discovered that the polyester P3 with balanced flexibility and rigidity showed the longest CL wavelength and highest QY. Systematically photophysical characterization unravel the key role of ester cluster in the CL and the cluster formation via the aggregate of ester units was visualized. Moreover, P3 was demonstrated to be a highly selective, quick-responsive (ca. 1.2 min) and sensitive detector (detection limit is 0.78 μM) for irons owing to the fast disassociation of clusters by irons. This work not only gains further mechanistic insight into CL but also provides a new strategy to design high-efficiency and long-wavelength CL, meanwhile, enlightens the glorious application prospect of luminescent polyester.

Keywords: aliphatic polyesters; chain flexibility; clusteroluminescence.

Abstract

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