An improvement in chitosan film photoluminescence was observed after adding LiClO4. FTIR spectra, XPS, DFT calculations, and XRD measurements show an alteration of the H-bonds and an increase in the amorphous character of chitosan. PL spectra display a growth in intensity in the visible region along with the incorporation of lithium, signaling a possible rise in the population density of tail states and, consequently, better photon absorption, as observed from UV-vis measurements. A mechanism through aggregation-induced emission effect is proposed to explain the different results. Although this work establishes the relation between structural changes provoked by LiClO4 incorporation and luminescence in the case of chitosan, we expect that the same approach could be generalized to similar polymeric structures.
© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.