Clustering-Triggered Emission and Luminescence Regulation by Molecular Arrangement of Nonaromatic Polyamide-6

J Phys Chem B. 2020 Oct 8;124(40):8928-8936. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c06606. Epub 2020 Sep 29.

Abstract

Photoluminescent polymers with merely nonaromatic chromophores have attracted rapidly growing attention owing to their importance in the significant fundamental, encryption, and anticounterfeiting fields. Based on the clustering-triggered emission mechanism, through-space conjugation and conformational rigidification of nonaromatic chromophores are crucial to photoluminescence, which are also dependent on molecular arrangement. Herein, polyamide-6 (PA-6) with well-defined molecular arrangements was thus studied. The luminescence from the PA-6 solution is enhanced upon aggregation from solution to amorphous solid and further boosted with the formation of highly regular molecular arrangement. More importantly, both blue and green fluorescence from PA-6/formic acid (FA) solutions were observed because of the variable clusters formed among PA-6 and FA. To make clear of this, PA-6 cast film (PCF) and PA-6 electrospun film (PEF) were prepared and belonged to α- (antiparallel molecular arrangement) and γ (parallel molecular arrangement)-form crystals, as confirmed by Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, and Raman measurements. The relationship between molecular arrangement and luminescence of PA-6 molecules was clarified by their photophysical properties in solids and solutions. Notably, color-tunable cryogenic phosphorescence of PA-6 solids was also detected. Such aggregation-enhanced emission and tunable phosphorescence of PA-6 solids are ascribed to the formation of diversified amide clusters together with remarkably rigidified molecular conformations owing to the highly regular molecular arrangement in the aggregated states.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't