Ji Eon Kwon

Advanced Organic Optoelectronic Materials: Harnessing Excited‐State Intramolecular Proton Transfer (ESIPT) Process

Recently, organic fluorescent molecules harnessing the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process are drawing great attention due to their unique photophysical properties which facilitate novel optoelectronic applications. After a brief introduction to the ESIPT process and related photo-physical properties, molecular design strategies towards tailored emission are discussed in relation to their theoretical aspects. Subsequently, recent studies on advanced ESIPT molecules and their optoelectronic applications are surveyed, particularly focusing on chemical sensors, fluorescence imaging, proton transfer lasers, and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).

A White-Light-Emitting Molecule: Frustrated Energy Transfer between Constituent Emitting Centers

White-light-emitting single molecules are promising materials for use in a new generation of displays and light sources because they offer the possibility of simple fabrication with perfect color reproducibility and stability. To realize white-light emission at the molecular scale, thereby eliminating the detrimental concentration- or environment-dependent energy transfer problem in conventional fluorescent or phosphorescent systems, energy transfer between a larger band-gap donor and a smaller band-gap acceptor must be fundamentally blocked. Here, we present the first example of a concentration-independent ultimate white-light-emitting molecule based on excited-state intramolecular proton transfer materials. Our molecule is composed of covalently linked blue- and orange-light-emitting moieties between which energy transfer is entirely frustrated, leading to the production of reproducible, stable white photo- and electroluminescence.

Realizing Molecular Pixel System for Full-Color Fluorescence Reproduction: RGB-Emitting Molecular Mixture Free from Energy Transfer Crosstalk

A full-color molecular pixel system is realized for the first time using simple mixtures composed of RGB-emitting excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) dyes, each of which has delicately tailored Stokes shift and independent emission capability completely free from energy transfer crosstalk between them. It is demonstrated that the whole range of emission colors enclosed within the RGB color triangle on the CIE 1931 diagram is predictable and conveniently reproducible from the RGB molecular pixels not only in the solution but also in the polymer film. It must be noted that mixing ratios to reproduce the desired color coordinates can be precisely calculated on the basis of additive color theory according to their molecular pixel behavior.

Photoisomerization-induced gel-to-sol transition and concomitant fluorescence switching in a transparent supramolecular gel of a cyanostilbene derivative

We report a transparent, fluorescent gel assembled from a cyanostilbene-containing material (compound 1), which incorporates bulky and flexible spacers via an amide group and exhibits aggregation-induced enhanced emission (AIEE). The photoinduced morphological change (gel-to-sol) upon the photoisomerization of 1 was successfully demonstrated, which was accompanied by a fluorescence color switching from the aggregate emission (490 nm) to the monomer emission (465 nm). It is notable that the photoisomerization of the cyanostilbene moiety in our innovative system induces both the gel-to-sol transition and the fluorescence color.

Gelation‐Induced Enhanced Fluorescence Emission from Organogels of Salicylanilide‐Containing Compounds Exhibiting Excited‐State Intramolecular Proton Transfer: Synthesis and Self‐Assembly

Self-assembly structure, stability, hydrogen-bonding interaction, and optical properties of a new class of low molecular weight organogelators (LMOGs) formed by salicylanilides 3 and 4 have been investigated by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV/Vis absorption and photoluminescence, as well as theoretical studies by DFT and semiempirical calculations with CI (AM1/PECI=8) methods. It was found that salicylanilides form gels in nonpolar solvents due to pi-stacking interaction complemented by the presence of both inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The supramolecular arrangement in these organogels predicted by XRD shows lamellar and hexagonal columnar structures for gelators 3 and 4, respectively. Of particular interest is the observation of significant fluorescence enhancement accompanying gelation, which was ascribed to the formation of J-aggregates and inhibition of intramolecular rotation in the gel state.

Stimuli-Responsive Reversible Fluorescence Switching in a Crystalline Donor-Acceptor Mixture Film: Mixed Stack Charge-Transfer Emission versus Segregated Stack Monomer Emission.

We report on a molecularly tailored 1:1 donor-acceptor (D-A) charge-transfer (CT) cocrystal that manifests strongly red-shifted CT luminescence characteristics, as well as noteworthy reconfigurable self-assembling behaviors. A loosely packed molecular organization is obtained as a consequence of the noncentrosymmetric chemical structure of molecule A1, which gives rise to considerable free volume and weak intermolecular interactions. The stacking features of the CT complex result in an external stimuli-responsive molecular stacking reorganization between the mixed and demixed phases of the D-A pair. Accordingly, high-contrast fluorescence switching (red↔blue) is realized on the basis of the strong alternation of the electronic properties between the mixed and demixed phases. A combination of structural, spectroscopic, and computational studies reveal the underlying mechanism of this stimuli-responsive behavior.

Wholly π-conjugated low-molecular-weight organogelator that displays triple-channel responses to fluoride ions.

A novel salicylidene aniline-based wholly π-conjugated molecule that could be self-assembled into an organogel was synthesized. The rigid organogel collapsed into fluid solutions with significant changes in UV-vis absorption and fluorescence colors in response to fluoride ions. It was found that the hydroxyl group in the salicylidene aniline moiety played a key role not only in the gelation but also in fluoride ion responses.

A ferroelectric photocatalyst for enhancing hydrogen evolution: polarized particulate suspension

A particle-based photocatalyst with a permanent internal field prepared by a corona poling method is presented as a novel approach to enhance the hydrogen evolution reaction in a particulate-suspension system. Photocatalytic activity of K0.5Na0.5NbO3 was significantly improved by 7.4 times after the polarization.

Excited State Features and Dynamics in a Distyrylbenzene-Based Mixed Stack Donor-Acceptor Cocrystal with Luminescent Charge Transfer Characteristics.

Combined structural, photophysical, and quantum-chemical studies at the quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) level precisely reveal the structure-property relationships in a mixed-stack donor-acceptor cocrystal, which displays vibronically structured fluorescence, strongly red-shifted against the spectra of the parent donor and acceptor, with high quantum yield despite the pronounced CT character of the emitting state. The study elucidates the reasons for this unusual combination, quantifies the ordering and nature of the collective excited singlet and triplet state manifold, and details the deactivation pathways of the initially created Franck-Condon state.

Highly Luminescent 2D-Type Slab Crystals Based on a Molecular Charge-Transfer Complex as Promising Organic Light-Emitting Transistor Materials

A new 2:1 donor (D):acceptor (A) mixed-stacked charge-transfer (CT) cocrystal comprising isometrically structured dicyanodistyrylbenzene-based D and A molecules is designed and synthesized. Uniform 2D-type morphology is manifested by the exquisite interplay of intermolecular interactions. In addition to its appealing structural features, unique optoelectronic properties are unveiled. Exceptionally high photoluminescence quantum yield (ΦF ≈ 60%) is realized by non-negligible oscillator strength of the S1 transition, and rigidified 2D-type structure. Moreover, this luminescent 2D-type CT crystal exhibits balanced ambipolar transport (µh and µe of ≈10-4 cm2 V-1 s-1 ). As a consequence of such unique optoelectronic characteristics, the first CT electroluminescence is demonstrated in a single active-layered organic light-emitting transistor (OLET) device. The external quantum efficiency of this OLET is as high as 1.5% to suggest a promising potential of luminescent mixed-stacked CT cocrystals in OLET applications.